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~Nm«T SfiBNK ON THE OCKLAWAHA. Page 283. 















THE GREAT WESTERN SERIES 


GOING WEST; or, The Perils of a Poor Bot. 

II. 

OUT WEST ; or, Roughing it on the Great Lakes. 

m. 

LAKE BREEZES ; or, The Cruise of the Stlvania. 

IV. 

GOING SOUTH; or, Yachting on the Atlantic Coast 

V. 

DOWN SOUTH ; or, Yacht Adventures in Florida. 

VI. 

UP THE RIVER; or, Yachting on the Mississippi. 





The Great Western Series 


% 



OK 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA 


BY 


OLIVER OPTIC 


AUTHOR OF YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD THE ARMY AND NAVY SERIES 
THE WOODVILLE SERIES THE STARRY FLAG SERIES THE BOAT 
CLUB STORIES THE LAKE SHORE SERIES THE UPWARD 
AND ONWARD SERIES THE YACHT CLUB SERIES 
THE RIVERDALK STORIES ETC. 


WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS 


BOSTON 

LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO 


-f7-i 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

OCT 30 1908 



Copyright, 1880, by William T. Adams 
Copyright, 1908, by Alice Adams Russell 

All Rights Reserved 

DOWN 80UTH 


« C 
« ( * 



TO MY YOUNG FRIEND, 

WILFORD L. WRIGHT, 

OF CAIRO , ILL., 

IX- PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL AMATEUR PRESS ASSOCIATION, 

WHO HAD THE •COURAGE AND THE SELF-DENIAL TO 

RESIGN-HIS OFFICE IN ORDER TO PROMOTE 
** # 

HIS OWN AND OTHERS' WELFARE, 

. + . 

§}ook 


IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED, 




PREFACE 


“Down South” is the fifth and last volume but one of 
the “Great Western Series.” The action of the story is 
confined entirely to Florida ; and this fact may seem to belie 
the title of the Series. But the young yachtman still main- 
tains his hold upon the scenes of his earlier life in Michigan, 
and his letters come regularly from that State. If he were 
old enough to vote, he could do so only in Michigan ; and 
therefore he has not lost his right to claim a residence there 
during his temporary sojourn in the South. Besides, half 
his ship’s company are Western boys, who carry with them 
from “The Great Western ” family of States whatever influ- 
ence they possess in their wanderings through other sec- 
tions of the grand American Union. 

The same characters who have figured in other volumes 
of the Series are again presented, though others are intro- 
duced. The hero is as straightforward, resolute, and self- 
reliant as ever. His yacht adventures consist of various 
excursions on the St. Johns River, from its moutti to a point 
above the head of ordinary navigation, with a run across to 
Indian River, on the sea-coast, a trip up the Ocklawaha, 
to the Lake Country of Florida, and shorter runs up the 
smaller streams. The yachtmen and his passengers try their 

vii 


V1U 


PKEFACE, 


hand at shooting alligators as well as more valuable game 
in the “ sportsman’s paradise ” of the South, and find excel- 
lent fishing in both fresh and salt water. 

Apart from the adventures incident to the cruise of the 
yacht in so interesting a region as Florida, the volume, like 
its predecessors in the Series, has its own story, relating to 
the life-history of the hero. But his career mingles with 
the events peculiar to the region in which he journeys, and 
many of his associates are men of the “ sunny South.” In 
any clime, he is the same young man of high aims and 
noble purposes. The remaining volume will follow him in 
his cruise on the Gulf of Mexico, and up the Mississippi. 

Dorchester, Mass., August 25, 1880. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 

I. 


PAGE 

Making a Florida Port , 

• 

• • 

• 13 

CHAPTER 

II. 



Our Liberal Passengers 

• * 

• • 

. 23 

CHAPTER 

III. 



A Native Floridian 




CHAPTER 

IV. 


• 

A Trip up the San Sebastian 

9 • 

• • 

• 43 

CHAPTER 

V. 



Saved from the Burning House 

. 

• • 

. 53 

CHAPTER 

VI. 



Moonlight and Music on Board 

• 

• • 

« 63 

CHAPTER 

VII. 



The Enemy in a New Business , 

' 

. 

73 

CHAPTER VIII. 



A Disagreeable Room-Mate 


• « 

ix 

83 


X CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER IX. 

A Battle with the Serpent . • • 

CHAPTER X. 

The Fellow in the Lock-up . . • 

CHAPTER XI. 

The Hon. Pardon Tiffany’s Warning • 
CHAPTER XII. 

Suggestions of another Conspiracy • 
CHAPTER XIII. 

Mr. Cobbington and his Pet Rattlesnak* 
CHAPTER XIV. 

The Excursion to Fort George Island . 

CHAPTER XV. 

A War of Words 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Griffin Leeds at a Discount . • • 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Poor Griff and his Counsel . . 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

The Excursion to Mandarin . • • 

CHAPTER XIX. 

The Adventures of an Invalid . . . 

CHAPTER XX. 


page 
. . 93 

. . 103 

. . 113 

. 123 

. . 133 

. . 143 

» . 153 

. . 163 

. . 173 

. . 183 

. 193 


Difficulties in the Way of Departure 


203 


CONTENTS. 

a* 

CHAPTER XXI. 

A Visit to Orange Park 

PAG! 

. 213 

CHAPTER XXII. 

Fishing in Doctor’s Lake ..... 

. 223 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

Trolling for Black Bass 

. 233 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

Green Coye Springs and Governor’s Creek • 

. 243 

CHAPTER XXV. 

Alligator-Shooting on Black Creek 

. 253 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

On Board of the Wetumpka .... 

. 263 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

Up the Ocklawaha to Lake Griffin . . 

. 273 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

An Expedition to Indian River .... 

. 283 


CHAPTER XXIX. 

A Mysterious Shot 293 

CHAPTER XXX. 


Shooting in the Forest and being Shot 


303 



DOWN SOUTH; 

OR, 

YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


CHAPTER I. 

MAKING A FLORIDA PORT. 

" rTIHAT’S it, as true as you live, Captain Alick ! ” 
JL exclaimed Bob Washburn, the mate of the 
Syl vania, as he dropped the spy-glass from his 
right eye. w Your dead-reckoning was correct every 
time.” 

”1 have no doubt you are right, Washburn,” 
I replied, referring to an open volume that lav on 
the shelf under the forward windows of the pilot- 
house. "'A square tower, painted 'White, sixty- 
eight feet above the sea,’” T continued, reading 
from the Coast 'But there is another 

tower, more than twice that height. Ah, here is 
a note in pencil I made : ' The government has 

13 


14 


DOWN south; or, 


built a new tower, one hundred and sixty feet 
high.’ ” 

" That must be St. Augustine Light : there can 
be no possible doubt of it. It fits the description ; 
and that is exactly where we ought to find it,” 
added the mate. 

The Sylvania had been on a ten weeks’ cruise 
to Nassau, Havana, and the Bermuda Islands. 
In Havana we had been startled by the report of 
a few cases of yellow fever, and we had hastily 
departed for the Bermudas, where we had cruised 
by sea and journeyed by land for a month. The 
steam-yacht was now on her return to Florida. 
The weather had been thick and rainy, and for the 
last two days I had failed to obtain an observa- 
tion. But we had heaved the log every two hours, 
though there was rarely a variation of half a knot 
from our regular speed. We had made careful 
calculations and allowances for the current of the 
G:ilf Stream, and the result was that we came out 
right wi:en we made the Florida coast. 

We had two sets of instruments on board; and 
Washburn and mys?lf had each made an indepen- 
dent observation, when tnc sky was clear enough 
to permit us to do so, and had ciphered out the 
latitude and longitude. We had also figured up 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


15 


the dead-reckoning separately, as much for prac- 
tice as to avoid mistakes. We had varied a little 
on the dead-reckoning, and it proved that I was 
the nearer right, as the position of St. Augustine 
Light proved. 

The steam-yacht was under charter for a year to 
my cousin, Owen Garningham, a young English- 
man, who was spending the winter in the South. 
The after cabin was occupied by four other per- 
sons, who were his guests, — Colonel Shepard, 
his wife, son, and daughter. Miss Edith, the 
daughter, was Owen’s "bright particular star,” 
and she was one of the most beautiful young ladies 
I ever saw. I may add that she was as gentle and 
amiable as she was pretty. All the Shepard fam- 
ily were very pleasant people, invariably kind to 
the ship’s company; and though the Colonel was 
a very wealthy man, none of them ever "put on 
airs ” in their relations with the crew. 

Though I did not pride myself on the fact that 
some of my ship’s company had " blue blood ” in 
their veins, I certainly believed that no vessel was 
ever manned by a more intelligent, gentlemanly, 
and skilful crew. Robert C. Washburn, the mate, 
was a college student, who would return to his 
studies at the end of the voyage. He was one 


16 


DOWN south; or, 


of the best fellows I had ever met, and was com. 
petent to command any vessel, on any voyage, 
so far at least as its navigation and management 
were concerned. We were devoted friends ; but 
he received his wages and did his duty as though 
he and I had had no other relations than those of 
captain and mate. 

Moses Brickland, the chief engineer, was the 
son of my guardian ; and though he was still in 
his teens, he was competent to build an engine, or 
to run it after it was built. Bentley F. Bowman, 
the assistant engineer, was a full-grown man, and 
had a certificate, besides being one of the best sea- 
men I ever sailed with. Our steward, who was 
our only waiter until we sailed from Jacksonville 
in December, had been chief steward of a large 
Western steamer, and fully understood all branches 
of his business. He was on the present voyage for 
Ihe benefit of his health. Buck Lingley and Hop 
Tossford, the deck-hands, were young English- 
men, belonging to the " first families,” and were 
friends of my cousin Owen ; but two more daring, 
resolute, and skilful young seamen never trod a 
deck. The two firemen were young machinists I 
had shipped at Montreal when they were out of 
work. They were brothers, and the sons of a 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 17 

Vermont farmer. Washington Gopher, an excel- 
lent cook, was a gray-haired colored man, who 
had rendered the best of service on board. 

The Sylvania had come all the way from Lake 
St. Clair, and it was expected that she would 
return there. The steam-yacht was my property, 
so far as a minor could hold property. She had 
been presented to me by the head of a wealthy 
Western family for a valuable service I had ren- 
dered. I had cruised in the Great Lakes in her, 
and had had some exciting adventures on board. 

I had spent my earliest days in the poor-house 
of a Maine town, from which a down-east skipper 
had taken me for the work I could do. But I 
was afterwards found near Lake St. Clair by my 
father, after a long and diligent search. But he 
had been obliged to leave me in charge of Mr. 
Brickland, my ever faithful friend and guardian, 
while he went to England to attend to some fam- 
ily affairs. He left property enough to make me 
independent for life, but it had all been lost by a 
fire, and I had nothing but the Sylvania. 

The steam-yacht afforded me an abundant sup- 
port while she was under charter to my cousin. 
Owen was the next heir to me of my father’s title 
of baronet and his large estate. One Pike Car- 
2 


18 


DOWN south; or, 


rington, my father’s solicitor, had persuaded my 
cousin to enter into some vague conspiracy to 
"get rid of me in some manner.” But, with the 
aid of Washburn, I had discovered the plot ; and 
having the good fortune to save Owen’s life in a 
storm, before he was fairly committed to the con- 
spiracy, he had become my fast friend. 

My cousin’s mother was very rich, and it ap- 
peared that she gave him money without stint or 
limit. Carrington had bought the sister yacht of 
the Sylvania, the Islander, which was to take part 
in the conspiracy against me, and in which the 
solicitor had followed the Sylvania to Florida. 
He had employed Captain Parker Boomsby, the 
down-east skipper, then settled in Michigan, to 
command her, and to assist in carrying out his 
plan. One feature of the scheme was to make me 
believe that my father was dead ; and for months 
I did believe it. Captain Boomsby claimed that 1 
had been " bound out ” to him till I was twenty- 
one ; and he insisted upon the possession of my 
person and my property as much as though I had 
been his slave. My father had made an arrange- 
ment with him by which he had abandoned all his 
interest in me, but at the reported death of my 
father, Carrington had induced him to assert his 
claim again. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 19 

Captain Boomsby had followed me to Florida in 
the Islander, with the solicitor as his passenger. 
The former had evidently undertaken " to get rid 
of me ; ” but, instead of doing this, he had sacri- 
ficed the solicitor. Both he and the lawyer had 
become hard drinkers, and in the Captain’s at- 
tempt to wreck me, he had sunk the Islander and 
drowned his employer. I judged that this would 
be the end of the conspiracy; and so it was, so 
far as my cousin Owen and the solicitor were con- 
cerned, but not on the part of Captain Boomsby. 

I had left my " ancient enemy,” as I had a right 
lo regard Captain Boomsby, at Jacksonville when 
we sailed for the West Indies. I knew that his 
experiment of making money in Michigan had 
been a failure, and that he was looking for a more 
hopeful field of operations in some other section 
of the country. One of his men told me that 
he intended to run the Sylvania on the St. Johns 
River as a passenger boat, and that he felt sure 
of obtaining possession of her, because, he as- 
serted, he was the rightful owner of her. The 
paper he had signed was destroyed with the rest 
of my valuables. 

As the steam-yacht approached the coast of 
Florida I did not even think of my ancient en- 


20 


down south; or, 


emy. I had left him in Jacksonville, where he 
was drinking all he could carry, every day. He 
was terribly bitter and revengeful towards me ; 
for though my father had paid him a considerable 
sum of money to appease him, rather than to 
satisfy any just claim he had upon me, he could 
never be content until he obtained all that could 
be had, either by fair means or by foul. There 
was no more principle in him than there was in a 
paving-stone. 

"That is St. Augustine Light,” I continued. 
"There can be no mistake about it, for there is 
not another light within thirty-five miles of it ; 
and we could not have gone so wide of the mark 
as that.” 

"You are right, Captain Alick, as you always 
are,” laughed the mate. 

" None of that, Bob ! You know as well as the 
next fellow that I am not always right ; I wish I 
were. How was it about going into St. George ? ” 
I replied. 

" The exception always proves the rule. I was 
right by accident that time. But you never go 
ahead till you are sure where you are going.” 

"I shall not this time,” I added, turning to 
the Coast Pilot again. " ' Vessels coming from' 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 21 

the northward will run down till the lighthouse 
bears west by north, keeping in three fathoms of 
water,' ’ ” I continued, reading from the book. 

We kept the Syl vania moving at about half- 
speed until the tower bore in the required direc- 
tion ; then the mate directed Buck Lingley, who 
was on watch forward, to heave the lead. 

" Mark underwater three,” reported the deck- 
hand. 

"That’s all right,” I added. "Now how is the 
tide ? ” 

We could cross the bar only when the water 
was above half-tide ; and this was an important 
question. We found from our nautical almanac 
that it would be half-tide at nine o’clock in the 
forenoon ; and it was not yet seven in the morn- 
ing by the corrected time. We were as near the 
coast as I cared to go. We could just make out 
the square tower of the light-house in the fog, 
and I was not willing to trust myself in unknown 
waters near the shore without a pilot. I directed 
Washburn to stop the engine, and keep a sharp 
lookout for the drift of the steamer. 

Leaving the pilot-house, I went forward, and 
presently discovered a pilot-boat coming out of 
the inlet. One of her crew was waving a flag to 


22 down south; ok, 

the port side from her bow. This meant that we 
were to bear to starboard. I told the mate to go 
ahead, bearing to the northward. In a few min* 
utes more we had a pilot on board, whose first 
question was as to our draft of water. I gave it 
as nine feet, though it was considerably less when 
we had nearly emptied our coal-bunkers. The 
pilot decided that we must wait a couple of 
hours. 

The sun rose at 6.26 on the first day of March, 
which was just ten minutes earlier than at Detroit. 
It soon burned off the fog inshore, so that we could 
see the ancient city of St. Augustine. Our pas- 
sengers, who had become so accustomed to sea- 
life that they did not turn out before eight in the 
morning, soon began to appear. With the pilot 
at the wheel we went over the bar before nine, 
and a run of two miles more brought us to our 
anchorage off the sea-wall. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


23 


CHAPTER n. 

OUR LIBERAL PASSENGERS. 

"TTTHERE are we now, Alick, my boy?” asked 

f V my cousin Owen Garningham, as he came 
on deck after we had anchored off the pier. 

"We are at St. Augustine, the oldest city in 
jhe United States, founded by the Spaniards in 
1565 — ” 

"Cut it short, if you please, my affectionate 
cousin,” interposed Owen, with an affected yawn. 
" I haven’t been to breakfast yet ; and surely you 
don’t expect me to learn history so early in the 
morning. I simply asked you where we were, 
and you go back over three hundred years to 
answer the question.” 

" I thought you might want to know something 
about the place,” I replied. 

" Exactly so. Where are we ? ” 

"We are here.” 

Owen bit his lip, smiled, and then looked about 
him at the various objects in sight. 


24 


DOWN south; or, 


" If you will tell me exactly what you want to 
know, I will answer your questions; at least, 1 
will tell you all I know,” I added. 

"Don’t do that: it would take too long,” he 
replied, yawning again. 

" Thank you.” 

"I wouldn’t listen to all a fool knew before 
breakfast ; and it would take you two years to tell 
all you know, sweet cousin.” 

"Not so long as that. We made the land about 
six this morning, in a fog — ” 

"You made the land ! Well, you didn’t have a 
very bad job of it, for it is nothing but house 
sand. Of course I know we are somewhere on 
the coast of Florida, for when we left the Ber- 
mudas we were bound to St. Augustine. We have 
got there, you say ; and I thank you for telling 
me. After breakfast, when I have a cigar, I will, 
with your leave, read the history of the place.” 

" You have my permission ; and I will furnish 
the book from which you may read it.” 

"Thanks. Now, could you, Alick, without 
straining yourself too much, tell me something 
about what we may see by looking about us in 
just this place — never mind the other parts of 
the State,” continued Owen, looking around him. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


25 


w I will tell you all I know about it,” I replied. 

"I wish everybody would tell only that.” 

" The opening you see on the other side of the 
bay, and through which we came in from sea, is 
between Anastasia Island on the south, and the 
main land on the north. The water to the north 
and south of us, inside the land, is Matanzas River. 
The works you see to the north is Fort Marion. 
The sea-wall extends from that to the point, south 
of us, a mile : it is built of coquina, a kind of rock 
quarried on Anastasia Island, formed of sand and 
shells—” 

" Spare me, cousin ! ” 

"From the point to the south of us, you see an 
opening in the land : that is the mouth of the San 
Sebastian River. The city of St. Augustine is 
built on the tongue of land between the two rivers. 
The buildings near the point are the United States 
Barracks. The structure extending out into the 
river from the sea-wall is a wharf or pier, built for 
the convenience of vessels landing freight or pas- 
sengers.” 

" But what does a vessel do that has both freight 
and passengers?” asked Owen, gravely. "I dare 
say she has to go to Jacksonville, where they have 
more than one wharf.” 


26 


DOWN south; or, 


" I stand corrected : a vessel landing passengers 
and freight,” I added. " But I can’t say, of my 
own knowledge, that the same vessel lands both 
here, for I never saw the place before in my 
life.” 

" It is well to be sure,” said Owen, as the break- 
fast-bell rang. 

Before we left Jacksonville in December, I had 
taken an additional person on board, who did duty 
in the cabin as a waiter. Though Peeks, the 
steward, never complained, I saw that he had too 
much to do. The distance from the cook’s galley 
to the companion-way of the after cabin made it 
hard work to serve the table in the latter. The 
distance to the forward cabin, where the ship’s 
company messed, was hardly less. I found that 
the officers and crew sometimes had to wait for 
their meals, and that the discipline of the vessel 
was thus broken in upon. The steward and the 
waiter had about all they could do to take care of 
the five passengers in the after cabin, who were 
very uncertain in their hours in the morning. 

I had decided to have another waiter for the 
forward cabin, and thus allow Peeks to do the 
proper work of a chief steward in looking out for 
the whole of his department. We had been in port 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


27 


so much during the winter that I found I could 
well afford the additional expense, for my pay- 
ments had been less than the estimate. Though we 
were to cruise on the St. Johns River and other 
streams during the month, there would be a great 
deal of boat-work for the deck-hands and firemen, 
for the latter did not complain if called to other 
duty than that of the fire-room, and by this time 
were good sailors. 

I went to my breakfast, which had been waiting 
an hour for me on the galley, for I never left the 
deck till the anchor was overboard. There was 
no one to bring my meal, and the mate’s watch had 
taken theirs while I was talking to Owen. It was 
half an hour before the steward or the waiter could 
attend to my wants ; and the dignity of the com- 
mander of the Sylvania did not permit him to carry 
his own breakfast from the galley, while there were 
passengers on board. I hoped I should be able to 
find another waiter at St. Augustine, though I 
supposed they would all be in demand at the hotels. 
At last I heard the voices of the passengers on 
deck. I did not ring the call-bell on the table 
until I was sure they had finished their morning 
meal, for all on board made it a point to give up 
everything for them. 


28 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


"I haven’t had my breakfast yet,” I said, as 
Peeks came down into the cabin. "I have been 
waiting here half an hour for it.” 

" I am very sorry, but it happens so sometimes, 
even when I do my best,” replied Peeks, evidently 
much disturbed by the situation. " It is all I can 
do, with the waiter, to get what the passengers 
want when they all come to the table at once. We 
have to cook everything after they order it, or it 
would not be fit* to eat.” 

" I don’t blame you, and I have no fault to find,” 
I added, soothingly. "I shall give you another 
waiter as soon as one can be found.” 

" I think we need another. If the meals could 
be served at fixed hours, we could get along very 
well ; but the passengers take their breakfast any- 
where from eight to eleven.” 

" I understand it perfectly; but they have a 
right to do just as they please, and I shall not in- 
terfere with their habits,” I replied ; and the stew- 
ard went for my breakfast. 

It was fifteen minutes before he returned, for 
Gopher insisted on using me as well as those that 
sat at the cabin-table when I was late to my meals, 
and cooked me a fresh dish of ham and eggs. I 
was blessed with a good appetite, and still liked 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


29 


country fare best, though Gopher made hotel dishes, 
with French names, for the after cabin. When I 
went on deck, I found Owen smoking his cigar in 
the pilot-house. He was reading one of a pile of 
Florida guide-books I had procured in Jackson- 
ville, which I had placed by the binnacle for his use. 

" I have been waiting for you, Captain Alick,” 
said he. 

"And I have been waiting for my breakfast. I 
shall get another waiter, so that no one will have 
to wait,” I answered. 

"Well, I was in no hurry, my dear fellow : if I 
had been, I should have sent for you. This is the 
first day of March. Have you the accounts?” 

I had them all ready, and went to my desk in 
my room, just abaft the pilot-house, for them. I 
gave them to him, but he hardly condescended to 
look at anything except the total. Throwing away 
his cigar, he went into my room, where he wrote 
all his letters, and seated himself at his desk. I 
followed him, in order to give him a receipt. 

"Don’t leave, Robsy,” said Owen to Washburn, 
as the mate began to move out of the room. 

Washburn resumed his toilet, for he had just 
donned the new uniform, with which all hands had 
provided themselves at St. George. Owen handed 


30 


DOWN south; or, 


me a draft, which I saw was for just three hundred 
dollars more than the amount of the bill I had 
rendered. I was astonished that he should make 
such a mistake. 

" This is not correct,” I began, as soon as I had 
looked at the amount of the draft. 

" Quite correct ; but I see you have got to make 
a quarrel with me ; and I want Robsy to stand by 
me in this fight,” replied Owen. 

"Of course I won’t take three hundred dollars 
more than is my due,” I protested. 

" Cut it short ! ” exclaimed my cousin. " I told 
Colonel Shepard I never could get out of it in the 
world, and he was putting a load on me I could 
never carry. Where is that bloody contract? 
Will you do me the favor to burn it?” 

" Certainly not,” I replied. " I intend to keep 
my copy, and to abide by its provisions.” 

"Provisions means grub, don’t it?” 

" Sometimes it does ; but it don’t now,” I replied, 
tossing the draft on the desk, at which he was still 
seated. "I will take only what is due me.” 

"But I have had a row with Colonel Shepard,” 
protested Owen. "He said he should insist on 
paying his share of the expenses of this cruise 
before we left Jacksonville ; but I kept him quiet 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 31 

till yesterday. In the first place, as we have put 

you to extra expense, Alick, we insisted on addins 

© 

one hundred dollars a month to the amount I was 
to pay.” 

I objected, and explained that I had been obliged 
to pay only the expense of a waiter, as he paid all 
the coal and provision bills, but he persisted, and 
finally appealed to Washburn, who decided in his 
favor. As I agreed to the decision of the umpire 
beforehand, I had to submit. 

" I made it up with the Colonel by letting him 
pay half of the bills, though he would pay four- 
fifths of them at first,” chuckled Owen, as though 
he had won a victory over his fellow-passenger. 

I had paid every one of the ship’s company his 
wages when they were due; I had painted the 
steamer at St. George, while the passengers were 
travelling on shore ; I had taken in a large supply 
of engine stores ; and still had about eleven hun- 
dred dollars on hand. I felt that I was getting 
rich very fast, though a season of idleness might 
scatter all my wealth. 

By this time our passengers had seen all there 
was to be seen from the hurricane-deck of the 
steamer. Though the sun had come out, it was 
rather a cool day to our party, who had spent a 


32 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


portion of the winter in the tropics. Owen in> 
formed me that his friends desired to go on shore. 
I had hardly sent them off in both boats, before a 
well-dressed gentleman came on deck, and desired 
to see the captain- 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


33 


CHAPTER III. 

A NATIVE FLORIDIAN. 

rpHE gentleman who wished to see the captain 
J- came off in a small boat, pulled by a man who 
might have been a mulatto, a Cuban, or a Spaniard. 
I noticed that he was a fine-looking fellow, lightly 
but handsomely built. If he had been brown, 
instead of slightly yellow, I should have taken him 
for a white man. He had a fine eye, and both his 
form and his face attracted my attention. 

I invited the gentleman in the stern sheets, who 
wished to see me, to come on board, and then 
conducted him to my state-room. He was not 
more than thirty-five, and was dressed rather jant- 
ily in a suit of light-colored clothes. He looked 
and acted like a gentleman, and his speech indi- 
cated that he was a person of refinement. X gave 
him a chair, and took one myself. Washburn had 
gone ashore in one of the boats, and I had the 
room to myself. Before he seated himself he 
handed me a card, on which was engraved " Kirby 
3 


34 


DOWN south; or, 


Corn wood.” There was nothing more to indicate 
his business. 

" Take a seat, Mr. Cornwood,” I said, when I 
had read his name. 

" Thank you, Captain Garningham,” he replied : 
and I wondered where he had learned my name, 
for I had not yet been ashore to report at the 
custom-house. 

"You will excuse me for calling upon you so 
soon after your arrival ; but business is business, 
and sometimes if it is not attended to in season, it 
can’t be done at all.” 

" Quite true, sir ; and I was going ashore as soon 
as the boats returned to report at the custom- 
house,” I replied, for the want of something sensi- 
ble to say. " I do not remember to have met you 
before, Mr. Cornwood.” 

" I dare say you do not remember it ; but I have 
met you none the less.” 

"Indeed! Where was that?” I asked, looking 
the stranger over again, though I could not recall 
his form or features. 

"In Jacksonville, last December. I was at the 
funeral of Mr. Carrington, and I saw you several 
times. I was on the point of offering my services 
to you then, as I shall now, when I learned that 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 35 

you were soon to sail for the West Indies,” answered 
Mr. Cornwood, with a very pleasant smile, which 
might have captured any young man of less expe- 
rience in the ways of the world than myself. 

In spite of his explanation I did not remember 
him. I had met a great many people at the time 
of the exciting events attending the arrival of the 
Sylvania at Jacksonville. I concluded that he was 
some dealer in provisions, ice, or coal, who wished 
to furnish the steamer with his wares ; and I began 
to lose all interest in the interview. I had a great 
many people call upon me who wished to sell some- 
thing, and I was used to such calls. 

" I am willing to admit that it is my fault, but I 
do not remember you, Mr. Cornwood,” I replied, 
rather coldly, for the chief engineer bought the 
coal, and the steward the provisions and ice. 

" I can well understand why you should not re- 
member me, Captain Garningham, for you met a 
great many people about the time I saw you, and 
your mind was occupied with some peculiar mat- 
ters, such as the sinking of the other steamer.” 

" Exactly so,” I answered, looking out the win- 
dow, as though I was ready to terminate the in- 
terview. 

"As I said, I was about to offer my services to 


36 


DOWN south; or, 


you then ; and I shall take the liberty to do so 
now,” he continued, not at all disturbed by any- 
thing I said or did. 

" I don’t think we need the services of any gen- 
tleman like yourself.” 

To my astonishment, he broke into a laugh ; and 
it was some time before he could proceed with his 
business. I was not aware that I had said any- 
thing that was funny : if I had, I should have been 
highly complimented by the manner in which my 
joke was received. 

" This is not the first time I have been taken for 
a gentleman,” said he, as soon as he was in condi- 
tion to speak. 

" Then you think I made a mistake, do you? ” I 
asked. 

" By no means : I have not sunk so low as that 
yet ; and I still believe I am a gentleman, what- 
ever anybody else may think.” 

He paused, and I waited for him to proceed with 
his business, instead of asking him what he meant, 
as he evidently expected me to do. 

"Yes, captain: I claim to be a gentleman,” he 
continued, when I showed no inclination to ask any 
questions. "I belong to the legal profession, though 
I don’t work at it now.” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 37 

" I am sure we don’t need any law on board of 
this vessel at the present time,” I added. 

" I do not offer my services in that capacity. I 
am a native Floridian, a regular corn-cracker,” he 
continued, laughing. " I was born and raised here 
in St. Augustine. There is not a river, lake, har- 
bor or inlet in all Florida, and hardly a square 
mile of territory, that I have not explored.” 

"As a lawyer?” I asked; and his plump state- 
ment rather attracted my attention. 

" Certainly not. When I was seventeen I began 
to study for the bar ; but my health broke down, 
and for the next ten years I roamed over the state, 
now at my own expense, and then as a member of 
the state surveying party, or the government coast- 
survey. I am a pilot for any waters in Florida.” 

" Have you a branch or a warrant ? ” 

"Nothing of the sort: I am only an amateur 
pilot. I am a hunter and a fisherman, and I know 
the flora and the fauna of the State. Seven years 
ago I resumed my studies, and have been admitted 
to the bar. But my health would not allow me to 
spend my days in an office or a court-room. Cap- 
tain Garningham, I offer my services to you as a 
guide for Florida.” 

Mr. Kirby Cornwood folded his arms in his 


38 


DOWN south; or, 


chair, and looked as complacent as though he had 
just informed me that he was the governor of the 
State. He evidently believed it was no use to say 
anything more, and he was silent. 

"I am exceedingly obliged to you, Mr. Corn- 
wood, for your offer of service,” I replied. " As 
you are a guide for Florida, could you inform me 
where the custom-house is ? ” 

" Can I inform you where the custom-house is ! ” 
exclaimed the guide for Florida. " How could I 
have been born and raised in St. Augustine with- 
out knowing where the custom-house is ? ” 

"I don’t know.” 

He looked at me as though he thought I was a 
young man to be pitied. Was there anything re- 
lating to Florida that he did not know, was the 
expression on his face. He could take me to any 
custom-house in the State by land or water. He 
could tell me the depth of any lake, stream, or 
puddle from the Atlantic to the Gulf. 

" Having accomplished all that I came on board 
for, permit me to take my leave, with the hope 
that you will consider my offer,” said Mr. Corn- 
wood, rising from his chair. " I shall be happy to 
conduct you to the custom-house when you go on 
shore, or to take your party to all the points of 
interest in the city.” 


TACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 39 

" Thank you, Mr. Cornwood,” I replied. 

I had no idea that he intended to leave me, for 
one does not get rid of such applicants so easily. 
He bowed gracefully, and much to my astonish- 
ment, left my room, walked to the gangway, and 
went down into his boat. A moment later, I saw 
the boatman pulling him towards the landing-place. 
I could not help thinking of his offer after he had 
gone. It would be exceedingly convenient to have 
a man on board all the time who could guide us to 
any object of interest. He was a pilot for any 
waters of the State. 

But I felt that I could not believe more than 
one-tenth of what he had said. I sat down, and 
thought over the matter. An extra hundred had 
just been added to my monthly stipend. I had not 
thought of having such a person on board before 
he suggested the idea. I had expected to depend 
on local guides for information and direction. 

If only one-half of Mr. Kirby Cornwood’s story 
was true, and he could perform only one-half of 
what he promised, he would be a valuable person 
to our party. He was airy in his manner ; but I 
could not say that this was not the worst part of 
him. If he had spent ten years of his life with 
state and national surveys and exploring parties, 


40 


down south; or, 


he ought to be very familiar with the travelled lo- 
calities of Florida. I was rather sorry I had not 
detained him a little longer, and learned something 
more of his ability to do what he said he could do. 
But I could find him again ; or I had no doubt he 
would soon find me. If he had not left me with 
so much dignity, and without pressing his offer of 
service, I should not probably have given a second 
thought to him. 

Washburn’s boat was the first to return, and I 
went on shore in it. I wanted the mate to see Mr. 
Corn wood ; but I did not mention him, for I wanted 
my friend to make up his mind in regard to the 
Floridian without any suggestion from me, and 
without his knowing that he was doing duty as a 
judge. I asked Washburn to take a stroll with 
me. He told his crew he should not want them 
for a couple of hours, and we walked up the pier. 

When we reached the head of it, I saw Mr. 
Cornwood rushing across the intersecting street 
as if he meant business, though he was not 
headed towards me. He did not even seem to see 
me at first ; but as he was about to cross my path, 
he could not well help doing so. He raised his 
Panama hat, and bowed politely to me. He evi- 
dently did not mean to stop to speak to me ; but I 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 41 

hailed him, and asked where the custom-house was. 
He described the building, and indicated in what 
direction I was to go. 

"If you will excuse me for a few moments, 
Captain Garningham, I will join you,” said he, 
hurrying along towards the St. Augustine Hotel, 
which faces the harbor. 

The Floridian certainly did not seem to be very 
anxious to make an engagement with me ; and this 
fact improved his chances with me. I went to the 
custom-house, and transacted my business there. 
As I came out with the mate, I met Mr. Corn wood 
at the door. I introduced Washburn to him ; and 
the Floridian was as polite to him as to me. 

" I am at your service, gentlemen ; and, pardon 
me, captain, without regard to any future engage- 
ment,” said Mr. Cornwood, with an extra flourish, 
as he turned to me. 

" Thanks. I think you said you were born in 
Florida,” I added. 

" Not only in Florida, but here in St. Augustine. 
If you doubt my statement, I will show you the 
house in which I first drew the breath of life,” he 
replied, with a deprecatory smile. 

Showing the house Avould prove it ; but I thought 
more of the fact that he seemed to have an inkling 


42 


DOWN south; or, 


of my trouble in regard to his statements. I told 
him I was willing to accept his statement without 
seeing the house. 

" My father and mother both died of consump- 
tion,” he continued. " They came down here from 
Virginia, and lived twenty years longer than they 
would in the Old Dominion. My father left me 
twelve thousand dollars, every cent of which I 
spent in travelling in this state. But here is your 
party, captain.” 

Our passengers were strolling along St. George 
Street when we met them. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


43 


CHAPTER IV. 

A TRIP UP THE SAN SEBASTIAN. 

S TRANGE as it may seem, the Shepards, 
though they had resided two winters in Jack- 
sonville, had never been to St. Augustine, or even 
up the St. Johns River. The state of Mrs. Shep- 
ard's health had not permitted her to travel for 
several years, until the preceding summer. They 
had simply left the ancient city and the up-river 
glories of " The Land of Flowers ” to a more pro- 
pitious season in the future. 

" How do you like the looks of St. Augustine, 
Miss Edith?” I asked, after we had passed the 
civilities of the moment, though I did not venture 
to present Mr. Kirby Cornwood to the party. 

" I like it well enough,” replied the pretty young 
lady, with something like a yawn. "But I am 
getting tired of it so soon ; for we have seen so 
many old Spanish cities in Spain and in the West 
Indies, that St. Augustine reads like an old story.” 
The face of the native Floridian wore an ex- 


44 


down south; or, 


pression of horror as he listened to the remark of 
Miss Edith. Possibly he might have abated his 
astonishment at this partially unfavorable opinion 
of his native city if he had known that she and 
Owen spent most of their time in thinking of other 
matters than an old city. 

”1 am delighted with the place,” added Mrs. 
Shepard. "But we pass various objects of inter- 
est without knowing what they are. We have not 
even a guide-book to help us out.” 

Mr. Cornwood smiled, but he said nothing. I 
wondered that he did not offer his services to the 
lady ; but he manifested what seemed to be a very 
strange modesty for him, standing a little apart 
from the rest of us, and not even looking at the 
pretty face of Miss Edith. I took the liberty to 
introduce the Floridian. He removed his Panama, 
and bowed low when I mentioned his name ; but 
he did not even speak, much less indulge in any 
of his pretentious speeches. The walk was re- 
sumed, and in the course of the forenoon we had 
explored the city, from Fort San Marco, on the 
north, to the point at the south of the city. 

Mr. Cornwood proved that he knew all about 
St. Augustine. I had studied the history of the 
place and the state very carefully during the leisure 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 45 

hours of the voyage from the Bermudas, and I was 
able to confirm the truth of all he said, so far as 
my knowledge extended, though he went far be- 
yond me. In a little while he was the very centre 
of the party. It is true that Owen severaj times 
requested him to " cut it short,” at which the Flo- 
ridian did not seem to be at all offended ; but he 
soon found that the rest of the company did not 
wish to have even the historical portions of the 
guide’s discourse abbreviated. 

I do not intend to give the history or describe 
the objects of interest we saw in Florida, except 
incidentally, for it would take all my space to do 
these, and I do not pretend to do much more than 
tell my story. I must say that I was very much 
interested in the history and descriptions of Mr. 
Cornwood ; and I have no doubt my readers would 
be equally interested, if I had pages enough at my 
disposal to include them. 

The Floridian did his duty modestly, though 
he had become the most important person of the 
party for the time being. There was not a par- 
ticle of the "brag” and pretension which had 
caused me to distrust everything he said. As we 
walked from place to place he kept at a respectful 
distance from the passengers, and never intruded 


46 


down south; or, 


himself upon them, though he was always ready 
to answer any questions. After a three-hours’ run 
we returned to the pier. 

I had expected that the party would prefer to 
go on shore, after their sea-voyage, and take up 
their residence for our stay at the principal hotel ; 
but they manifested no such intention. As they 
had taken nothing on shore with them, I had told 
the steward to have dinner ready for them at the 
usual hour. The port quarter-boat, which was 
mine, had come to the landing-place, and the 
party embarked. I invited Mr. Cornwood to go 
on board with me, and he accepted the invitation. 
He took his place in the fore-sheets of the boat, 
apparently for the purpose of maintaining his re- 
spectful distance from the passengers. 

In a few minutes we were on the deck of the 
Syl vania. The passengers retired to the cabin, 
and Cornwood followed me to my state-room. 
As soon as we entered the apartment his manner 
underwent a sudden change. He was as free and 
familiar as he had been at our interview on board 
in the morning. As I interpreted his conduct, he 
considered himself on an entire equality with me, 
while he intended to treat my passengers with the 
utmost deference and respect. I did not object to 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 47 

his view of the relations to be maintained to my 
passengers and myself; on the contrary, his view 
was precisely my own. 

" What is your price for the service you pro- 
pose to render, Mr. Cornwood?” I asked, when 
we were seated. 

"Five dollars a day, including Sundays,” he 
replied, without any hesitation. " Of course this 
salary is besides my board and all expenses.” 

"That is only three times my own wages,” I 
added with a smile. 

" If you will engage me for a year, I will call 
it fifty dollars a month, and be glad to make 
this slight reduction of two-thirds,” he answered 
promptly, and with the most easy assurance. "I 
can make hay only when the sun shines, captain ; 
and I could make more at your wages twice over 
than I can at my own. The year is not often 
more than four months long for my business. I 
attend upon first-class parties only, and I charge 
eight dollars a day when I am engaged for only 
a single week. Your party want to go up the 
St. Johns for at least a month. However, if you 
object to the price, there is a party at the St. 
Augustine Hotel who want me for a week to go 
to Indian River with them. They are willing to 


48 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


give me ten dollars a day ; but I prefer to go with 
your party at the price I named.” 

" I am very much obliged to you for this mark of 
consideration on your part,” I replied. " Though 
you are a perfect stranger to me, I suppose it 
would not be regarded as an insult for me to ask 
for any testimonials.” 

" Not at all. Though I could procure a bushel 
or two of them, I do not happen to have any with 
me ; but I will refer you to the landlords, and to 
any resident of St. Augustine.” 

He seemed to be ready to answer anything I 
could ask him, and he named a dozen persons of 
whom I might inquire in regard to him. While 
the passengers were on shore in the forenoon, I 
had directed the hands to spread the awnings on 
the quarter-deck and forecastle. When dinner 
was over the party seemed to be very well satis- 
fied to remain on board after their walk, for after 
the sea- voyage the exertion tired them. Owen 
told me they should not go on shore again, and 
I decided to inquire into the character and ante- 
cedents of Mr. Corn wood. 

When we came up from dinner I found Owen 
smoking his cigar on the forecastle. My passen- 
ger asked Cornwood a question, and they were 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 49 

soon engaged in conversation in regard to Florida. 
Taking the port boat, with Ben Bowman and Hop 
Tossford, I left the steamer. I did not even take 
the trouble to tell the Floridian where I was going. 
II my inquiries were satisfactorily answered, I in- 
tended to engage him for the time we remained in 
Florida. He had mentioned the name of a family 
that boarded on the west side of the city, near the 
San Sebastian River, and I decided to make the 
first inquiries there. 

I steered the boat around the point into the 
river, and soon passed the more thickly settled 
portion of the town. Orange groves lined the 
shore, and the fragrant jasmine scented the air. 
If I had not been all winter in the tropics, I 
should have gone into ecstasies over the scene that 
was spread out before me. But orange groves 
were nothing new to me now, and I was familiar 
with banana and palm trees. 

I could not be insensible to the beauties of the 
region, and in that mild atmosphere I could not 
help enjoying it. On the shore were the dwell- 
ings of wealthy men who spent their winters in 
this delightful locality. Soon we came to a house, 
on the very bank of the river, with a kind of 
pier built out into the river, at which several sail 
4 


50 


down south; or, 


and row boats were moored. This was the large 
boarding-house to which I had been directed by 
the Floridian. 

I identified it from his description some time 
before we reached it. As the boat approached 
the house, and I ran in towards the pier, I noticed 
there was a great commotion in the vicinity. The 
inmates were rushing out of the house, negroes 
were running here and there, apparently without 
any settled purpose, and not a few women were 
screaming. 

"I wonder what the matter is at that house,” 
I said to the oarsmen, who were back to the scene, 
and could see nothing of it. 

"Matter enough, I should say,” replied Ben 
Bowman, who pulled the bow-oar, as he looked 
behind him. " The house is on fire ! ” 

The immense live-oaks that half concealed the 
house from my view had prevented me from see- 
ing the volume of smoke and flame that was rising 
from one corner of the mansion. The fire had 
already made considerable progress. 

" Give way, lively, my men ! ” I called to the 
rowers. "We shall be needed there.” 

Ben and Hop pulled a strong stroke, and they 
exerted themselves until the oars bent before their 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 51 

vigorous muscles. I headed the boat for some steps 
I saw on the pier, and in a few moments more we 
were within hailing distance of the wharf. 

" Way enough ! ” I called to the oarsmen. They 
ceased rowing, and brought their oars to a per- 
pendicular, man-of-war fashion, as required by our 
boat-drill. 

Ben Bowman went to the bow, fended off, and 
then jumped ashore with the painter in his hand. 
Hop Tossford and I followed him in good order, 
as all were instructed to move when in the boats ; 
and in a moment we were on the pier. My men 
broke into a run for the scene of the fire ; but 1 
moved more slowly, and studied the situation as 
I walked up the wharf. 

The inmates of the house and the neighbors 
who had gathered appeared to be in utter con- 
fusion, and incapable of doing anything, if there 
was anything that could be done. It seemed to me 
that the fire had progressed too far to be checked, 
and that the entire destruction of the house was 
inevitable. But certainly some portion of the prop- 
erty in the building could be saved, and the peo- 
ple seemed to have no power even to attend to 
this duty. Our boat’s crew could set a good ex- 
ample in this way, if in no other ; and I hurried 
my steps as soon as I could decide what to do. 


52 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


As soon as I reached the garden in the rear of 
the house, I found there was something more im- 
portant to be done than saving furniture. A gen- 
tleman whom I judged to be about forty years of 
age was on the point of rushing into the burning 
house when he was held back by others. They 
said the stairs were already in flames, and the 
second story could be reached only from the out- 
side. 

" My daughter is asleep in the corner-room ! ” 
gasped the gentleman, pointing to the window of 
the chamber. 

The next instant Hop Tossford was running up 
the posts of the veranda. 










YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


53 


CHAPTER V. 

SAVED FROM THE BURNING HOUSE. 

B Y this time the flames, which had been confined 
to half a dozen windows, were breaking out 
through the roof of the house. Ben Bowman and 
I followed Hop Tossford to the roof of the ve- 
randa, which surrounded the building, though, as 
we had waited to hear more of the situation, we 
were considerably behind him. We all attempted 
the ascent by different posts. That which Ben 
took slipped out, and tumbled over ; and the fire 
was so hot where I was that I had some difficulty 
in getting a foothold on the roof. 

I had hardly accomplished my purpose when I 
heard a scream. The next instant I saw Hop leap 
from the window near the corner with a lady in 
his arms. She was still screaming; but it ap- 
peared that she had been alarmed only at finding 
herself in the arms of a stranger. She had not 
been aroused from her sleep till Hop lifted her 
from the bed. 


54 


DOWN south; or, 


The deck-hand set her on her feet as soon as he 
reached the roof of the veranda. She looked 
about her, and she could not help seeing and hear- 
ing the devouring flames. She comprehended the 
situation, and ceased to scream. By this time a 
ladder was raised to the roof of the veranda, and 
as soon as Hop saw the top of it, he assisted the 
lady to descend, which she accomplished in safety. 
I saw her in the arms of her father, and both of 
them were weeping. 

As soon as I saw that the young lady was safe, 
I led the way into the rooms on the side of the 
house which was not yet on fire, though the flames 
were now breaking into them, and proceeded to 
throw out the baggage and other articles we found. 
Hop took the chamber from which he had just 
saved the occupant, and removed a trunk and all 
the drawers of a bureau. These articles were car- 
ried down the ladder by the guests and others. 
We worked until we were driven from the ve- 
randa by the flames. 

When I reached the ground, I found the lady 
who had been saved out on the pier with her father, 
with their trunks which had been removed there 
by the latter. She had transferred from the 
drawers of the bureau brought out by Hop, all her 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


55 


clothing. She had quite recovered from her fright. 
She was not more than sixteen, and with the ex- 
ception of Edith Shepard, I never saw a prettier 

girl. 

"We are under very great obligations to you, 
gentlemen,” said the father of the fair young lady. 
" I am sure my daughter would have perished 
without the assistance of one of your number.” 

"This is the young man that brought your 
daughter out of the house,” I replied, pointing to 
Hop. 

"I thank you with all my heart and soul for 
what you have done,” said the stranger, taking 
Hop’s hand. "It seems that my daughter was 
asleep when you entered her chamber, and she 
would surely have been burned to death without 
your bold effort.” 

"And I thank you with all my heart and soul ! ” 
exclaimed the young lady, blushing as she took 
the hand of her gallant deliverer. "I was fast 
asleep when you lifted me from the bed, and I 
only screamed because I thought some man was 
carrying me off. At first, I thought it was a 
dream.” 

" I was very clumsy about it ; and I beg your 
pardon for frightening you so. I might have 


56 


down south; or, 


spoken before I took you from the bed. But I 
have had no experience in such business,” pleaded 
Hop. "I shall know better how to do it next 
time.” 

"You did it * exceedingly well,” said the lady, 
with emphasis. 

"It matters little how it was done, so it w T as 
done,” said the father. 

" That is just what I think, papa. I can’t ex- 
press anything at all that I feel towards this gen- 
tleman for the great service he has done me. I 
wish I could say just what is in my heart ! ” ex- 
claimed the fair young lady. 

" I am very glad you can not,” added Hop, who 
seemed to be embarrassed by the gratitude of the 
young lady and her father. 

" We shall never forget the service of this young 
gentleman. Everybody else was paralyzed, and 
unable to do anything,” continued the stranger. 
" I had been to walk ; and on my return I saw the 
smoke long before I reached the house. I did not 
think of my daughter being in her room at first, 
but it occurred to me that she has been in the habit 
of taking a nap after dinner lately. As I did not 
see her among the other people of the house, I was 
paralyzed by the thought that she might be asleep.” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


57 


"I owe my life to your coming; and I never 
shall forget this service, any more than my father,” 
added the young lady, as she bestowed a grateful 
look upon Hop. 

"We shall see more of you, gentlemen; and I 
hope I shall be able to prove to you that I prop- 
erly value the service you have rendered. But, 
Margie, we are turned out of house and home by 
the fire.” 

" But we have saved all our luggage, thanks to 
these gentlemen! We are not so badly off as 
some of the people in the house, who must have 
lost everything.” 

" There are some others here who will have oc- 
casion to be thankful for your arrival ; for I don’t 
think anything would have been saved if you had 
not taken the lead. But, Margie, we haven’t even 
a carriage to convey us to a hotel.” 

" I think I can manage that for you, sir,” I in- 
terposed. "We can take you and your trunks into 
our boat, and convey you to the other side of the 
town.” 

" Thanks ; you are very kind. But we are not 
willing to take up any more of your time,” pro- 
tested the stranger. " Besides, I don’t know where 
to go, unless we take the next train for Jackson- 


58 


DOWN south; or. 


ville ; for yesterday, and when we arrived a week 
ago, the hotels and boarding-houses were all full 
to overflowing. I only got in where I was by the 
landlord and his daughter giving us their rooms, 
while they went to a cottage of a friend. Perhaps 
we had better leave the place at once, for I am 
sure we can’t find lodgings. I looked the place 
all over for accommodations.” 

" But we are too late to leave the place to-night, 
papa,” replied Miss Margie, and both she and her 
father seemed to be very anxious about the situa- 
tion. 

"We shall find some kind of accommodations at 
the hotels, though it be nothing better than the 
servants’ rooms. They won’t let us sleep in the 
streets,” added the father, more cheerfully. 

" I think I can take care of you for a few days,” 
I interposed ; " at any rate, until you find better 
quarters.” 

" Pardon me, sir ; but you look like sailors ; and 
you all went up the posts under the veranda as 
though you were sailors,” added the gentleman. 

"We are sailors, and we belong to a steam-yacht 
lying at anchor on the other side of the city,” I 
replied. "We will take you and your daughter 
around to her, with your baggage ; and then you 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 59 

can make such arrangements for the future as you 
desire.” 

"We thank you; you are very kind, and we 
accept your offer,” said the gentleman. "The 
place is so crowded with visitors that it is very 
difficult to get anything done for you; and we 
might have to stay here a long time before we could 
get a carriage to convey us and our luggage to 
another place. Besides, this fire will turn forty 
or fifty people out of their house, and there will 
be an increased demand for rooms.” 

" I can take care of you for a few days, at any 
rate,” I replied. " Put those trunks into the fore 
sheets of the boat, Ben.” 

The trunks and the other baggage were stowed 
in the forward part of the boat, and I assisted the 
fair stranger and her father to the cushioned seats 
in the stern sheets. When we were all in, the 
boat was pretty well loaded down. Ben shoved 
her well off into the stream, and I took the tiller- 
lines, seated between my two passengers. 

" Up oars ! Let fall ! Give way ! ” I continued, 
giving the usual orders. Ben and Hop bent to 
their oars, while all of us took a parting view of 
the scene of the fire. The house was burned to 
the ground ; and it seemed to me that nearly the 


60 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


whole population of the city was gathered in the 
vicinity. A fire was not a common thing, and 
people went to see it as a curiosity. 

The month of March is one of the most trying 
in the whole year in the North, and vast numbers 
of people had come down to Florida to escape its 
rigors. All the watering-places in the State were 
crowded with visitors, and in St. Augustine, the 
most popular resort, there was not a vacant room 
to be had. While my new passengers were gazing 
at the remains of the fire and the crowd that 
surrounded them, I began to think how I should 
dispose of my guests on board of the Syl vania. 
I was not quite willing to intrude upon Owen’s 
party by putting them in the after cabin ; but I 
could easily make two rooms of the captain’s large 
apartment, while Washburn and I found quarters 
in the forward cabin. 

The vigorous strokes of Ben and Hop soon 
brought us to the steamer. The passengers were 
still seated under the awning of the quarter-deck ; 
and Owen had finished his cigar and joined Miss 
Edith, whose shadow he was when his cigar did 
not need attention. They all rose from their seats 
when they saw that I had company, for of course 
their curiosity was excited. We pulled around 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 61 

the stern, and came up to the port gangway, where 
the steps were rigged out. 

Hop Tossford handed Miss Margie up the steps 
to the deck, while I assisted the gentleman, whose 
name I did not yet know, though I had read "P. T.” 
on the ends of the trunks. I conducted the new 
passengers to the captain’s room. I wanted Wash- 
burn, in order to have him remove his clothes and 
other articles into the forward cabin. When 1 
looked for him, he was with the party on the quar- 
ter-deck. I went to him. In a few words I ex- 
plained the situation to him. He was very willing 
to change his quarters, and declared that he would 
sleep on the fore-yard, if necessary. 

"I beg your pardon, Captain Alick, but what 
had you in the boat?” asked Owen, as Washburn 
went forward. 

" I had a gentleman and his daughter, with their 
luggage, as we say in England,” I replied. 

" I beg your pardon again ; but who are the gen- 
tleman and his daughter ? ” 

" I haven’t the least idea. They were in a house 
over the other side of the city, and some way up, 
which has just been burned to the ground. Very 
likely that young lady would have been burned to 
death if Hop had not brought her out of her room, 


62 


DOWN south; or, 


where she was asleep. Every hotel and boarding- 
house in the place is full, and they had no place to 
go : so I brought them on board till they can find 
a hotel.” 

" Very good of you ; but what were you just 
saying to Robsy?” demanded Owen. 

" I told him to move his traps out of our room ; 
and I shall do the same with mine,” I replied. 

" You will do nothing of the sort,” protested my 
cousin. 

" What’s the reason I won’t ? ” 

" Because the lady shall have my state room ; 
and her father and I will just take berths in the 
cabin.” 

Before I could say anything more, Owen rushed 
down into the cabin, and I followed him. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


63 


CHAPTER VI. 

MOONLIGHT AND MUSIC ON BOARD. 

O WEN called the steward and the waiter, and 
directed them to move all his luggage from 
the state-room. He assisted himself in the work, 
and seemed to be very much in earnest. 

" I don’t ask you to do this, Owen ; and I didn’t 
expect you to do it,” I protested. 

" Did you expect me to be a swine ? ” demanded 
he indignantly. 

"No, certainly not ; but I have no right to do 
anything to deprive you of the comfort you pay 
for,” I replied. 

"But who are these people, Alick?” 

" They haven’t even given me their names ; I 
know nothing whatever in regard to them. Rather 
than have them stay out in the street, I was ready 
to give up my room.” 

" It’s all right, Alick. Give the lady my state- 
room, and I will take a berth. The curtains draw 
out in such a way as to make a little room in front 


04 


down south; or. 


of each bunk, and I shall be just as well off as in 
my room.” 

"I don’t like to have you do this. Won’t you 
take my room ? I will have it fitted up for you 
in as good style as this cabin ; and it is twice as 
large as this room.” 

"No, I thank you, Alick. I shall be very com- 
fortable in one of these berths. Let me hear no 
more objections. Now bring the gentleman and 
his daughter down into the cabin, and assure them 
they are as welcome as they would be in their own 
house.” 

It was useless to say anything more to Owen ; 
for w T hen he insisted on having his own way, he 
had it. I went forward and invited the strangers 
below. Ben brought their trunks and other bag- 
gage after them, and they were soon installed in 
their new quarters. 

" What a lovely little room ! ” exclaimed Miss 
Margie, as I showed the state-room. " It is ever 
so much nicer than the one I had in the steamer I 
came across the ocean in ! ” 

" I am sorry I have not another state-room for 
you, sir,” I said to her father, as I came out of 
the daughter’s room. "But we will do the best 
we can for you.” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


65 


I pulled out the slide to which the curtains were 
attached, in front of one of the berths. 

" Nothing could be better than that,” replied 
the gentleman, with enthusiasm. "We are better 
lodged than we were in that boarding-house. The 
only fear is that we are intruding.” 

"Not at all, sir. The gentleman that charters 
the yacht wished me to say to you that you are as 
welcome as you could be in your own house.” 

" I will soon pay my respects to him. I dare 
say he is the owner of this delightful little craft.” 

" No, sir ; he only charters her.” 

"And who is the owner of her?” 

"I am the owner, sir.” 

" Bless me ! You are quite a young man to be 
the owner of such a fine little vessel,” said the nev 
passenger. " Will you favor me with your name ? ” 

"Alexander Garningham,” I replied, not sup- 
posing my name could be of any particular conse- 
quence to him. 

" Garningham ! I half suspected it ! ” ejaculated 
the gentleman. " I have a letter for you.” 

" A letter for me, sir ! ” I exclaimed, wondering 
who could have given him such a missive.” 

"It is very strange that I should stumble on 
you in this manner, when I have been looking 
5 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


66 * 

for you all over the country,” continued the gen- 
tleman, fumbling his pockets for the letter. 

I almost came to the conclusion that he was a 
"fraud,” trying to play some trick upon me, in 
the interest of Captain Boomsby, or some otheT 
designing person, when he produced the letter. 
He handed it to me. I instantly recognized the 
peculiar handwriting of my father. It thrilled me 
to my very soul. I glanced at the superscription. 
It was my name in the familiar writing. Under it 
was, "By the hand of the Hon. Pardon Tiffany.” 

" Mr. Tiffany, I am very happy to meet you,” 
I said, when I had read what was on the outside 
of the letter. 

" Captain Alick Garningham, I am more than 
happy to see you,” he replied, grasping my hand. 
"I know all about you from your father.” 

I excused myself, and opened the letter ; but it 
was only an introduction, written just before my 
father started for India. He spoke of Mr. Tiffany 
as his best and truest friend in England, who was 
to travel a year or more in America. 

" How long have you been in this country, Mr. 
Tiffany?” I asked, thinking it very strange, from 
the date of the letter, that I had not seen him be- 
fore. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 67 

" Less than four months. I was ill after youi 
father started for India, and was unable to leave 
home till six months later than I had intended,” 
he replied. " I suppose you hear from your father 
occasionally ? ” 

"I have not heard from him since he left for 
India,” I replied. 

I saw that he knew nothing of the events which 
had occurred since I left Lake St. Clair. It took 
me an hour to tell the story in full. He seemed 
to be greatly astonished when I told him that the 
person who chartered the steam-yacht was my 
cousin, Owen Garningham. He knew most of the 
family, though he had never met Owen, who had 
been away at school, or on his travels on the Con 
tinent, when he visited my father. 

Miss Margie had come out of her state-roon. 
some time before I finished my story; but she 
busied herself with a book till we had concluded 
our conference. I asked them both to go on deck 
with me, and I introduced them to my passen- 
gers. Owen did not appear to know Mr. Tiffany- 
or to know of him when his name was mentioned' 
I thought it was best not to say anything at pres- 
ent. Both of the guests were treated with the 
utmost consideration and kindness by Owen and 


68 


down south; or, 


the Shepards. The story of the fire was rehearsed, 
and Miss Margie was the heroine of the hour. 

The afternoon was wearing away, and I had 
yet made no inquiries in regard to Cornwood. I 
knew not where to find the person to whom he 
had referred me at the house which had been 
burned. I ordered the boat again, and went on 
shore. I found a party at one of the hotels who 
had employed the Floridian, and they spoke in 
the highest terms of him. The natives of St. 
Augustine usually smiled when I asked about 
Cornwood ; but no one said anything against him 
that I did not know — that he was "airy” and 
given to " brag.” It was about dark when I re- 
turned, but the Floridian was still on board. 

" I am sorry to hear that Colonel Estwell’s house 
has been burned,” said Cornwood, as I came on 
deck. "It was doing a good business, and the 
fire will be a heavy blow to the Colonel. I sup- 
pose you heard nothing bad about me.” 

" Nothing very bad. I engage you at the terms 
you named for the time the steam-yacht remains 
in Florida,” I added. " You will have a berth in 
the forward cabin, and mess with the officers.” 

" You will have no occasion to regret what you 
have done,” said the Floridian, confidently. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 69 

” I tope not. Now, can you find a waiter for 
me?” I continued, explaining the need of addi- 
tional help in the steward’s department. 

" A waiter ! Fifty more than there are in the 
city could find places in one hour,” said he, laugh- 
ing at the apparent absurdity of the question. 
" However, as you have applied to me, I have no 
doubt I can find one for you.” 

" Do you think you can ? ” I asked, rather anx- 
iously. " I have added two more persons to the 
company to be cared for at the cabin-table, and 
we shall get nothing to eat in the forward cabin if 
we don’t have more help.” 

"You shall have a waiter if I have to take 
him out of the dining-room of the St. Augustine 
Hotel,” replied Mr. Corn wood, with as much as- 
surance as though all the waiters in the city were 
under his charge. 

I sent him ashore in the starboard boat; and 
Buck and Landy, the crew, were glad to spend 
an hour in the city. In less than that time the 
Floridian returned, and with him was the waiter. 
When the new man came into my room to see me, 
I was not a little surprised to find he was the same 
" yellow man ” I had seen in the boat that brought 
off the guide the first time he boarded the Syl- 
vania. 


70 


DOWN south; or, 


He was a remarkably good-looking fellow, and 
I soon ascertained that he was as intelligent as he 
was handsome. His name was Griffin Leeds. He 
was neither a Spaniard nor an Italian, but an octo- 
roon. 

Both the guide and the waiter brought off their 
baggage in the boat. Among the effects of Griffin 
Leeds I noticed a violin-case. Tom Sands, the 
cabin- waiter, whom I had obtained at Jackson- 
ville, played the banjo in the most artistic man- 
ner. Neither of the waiters were any common sort 
of colored men ; and I soon found that race dis- 
tinctions were vastly more insisted on by these 
men than by any white man on board, unless it 
was the Floridian. 

We had a full table in the forward cabin at sup- 
per that night, and Griffin Leeds showed that he 
thoroughly understood his business, and that he 
was active and zealous besides. I was very well 
pleased with him, and so were all the other officers 
of the steamer. 

It was a bright moonlight evening, and the air 
Was soft and balmy. I sat with the passengers 
under the awning on the quarter-deck. By this 
time Edith and Margie had got along far enough 
to sit with their arms around each other’s waists. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


71 


One would think they had known each other for 
years, they were so affectionate. We were talk- 
ing about the voyage down from the Great Lakes, 
when the attention of the whole party was at- 
tracted by the music of a violin on the hurricane- 
deck. The instrument was well played. Pres- 
ently the volume of the music was increased by 
the addition of a banjo. 

" That’s good,” said Owen. "I think music, 
even if it isn’t first-class, is delightful on the 
water.” 

" It is perfectly charming ! ” exclaimed Edith. 

* It seems almost like fairy-land ! ” added Mar- 
gie. 

I saw that all hands were in the gangway ; then 
a violoncello, of whose existence on board I was 
not aware, was passed up to the hurricane-deck. 
Landy Perkins played on this instrument, which 
had been purchased at St. George. I knew that 
Ben Bowman had formerly played in the Mont- 
omercy Brass Band, and I saw him mount the 
ladder with his comet. In a few minutes our 
band was playing "There’s music in the air,” 
though the first attempts were evidently not en- 
tirely satisfactory to the musicians. After an 
hour’s practice together the music improved. 


72 


down south; or, 


We sat on deck till a late hour. The next day, 
under the guidance of Mr. Corn wood, the party 
visited the coquina quarries on Anastasia Island, 
and wandered over the city again. In the evening 
the band played again, reinforced by the Floridian, 
who played the cornet. He told me confidentially 
that he was not in the habit of playing with " nig- 
gers,” but he was willing to do anything to con- 
tribute to the pleasure of the party. I thought it 
was very condescending in him. 

After three days at St. Augustine we sailed for 
Jacksonville. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


73 


CHAPTER VH. 

THE ENEMY IN A NEW BUSINESS. 

W E had three ladies on board ; but Tom Sands 
was the bedroom steward as well as waiter, 
and I thought this was not just the thing. I came 
to the conclusion, before we left St. Augustine, 
that we ought to have a stewardess to wait upon 
the ladies. I spoke to Mr. Cornwood, and in a 
few hours more we had Chloe, the wife of Griffin 
Leeds, duly installed in that position. 

She had no children, and did not appear to be 
more than twenty years old. She was very neat 
and lively, and the ladies were much pleased with 
her. She had had experience on a Charleston and a 
St. Johns steamer. The forecastle of the Sylvania 
had not been used on the cruise except as a store- 
room, and I had this prepared for the use of Leeds 
and his wife. Peeks and Sands slept in the cabin ; 
and if the stewardess was wanted in the night, she 
could be called. 

It was only a six or seven hours’ run to Jack- 


74 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


sonville, especially as we had a strong south- 
westerly breeze, and carried all sail in addition to 
our steam. We started at an early hour in the 
morning, so as to have the tide right to cross the 
bar at the mouth of the river. 

"You needn’t put that flag in the fore-rigging,” 
said Mr. Cornw T ood, when he discovered the signal 
for a pilot flying, as we approached the bar. 

"Why not?” 1 asked, forgetting some of the 
wonderful things he had told me he could do. 

"I am a pilot for any waters of Florida, and I 
can take the steamer across the bar as well as any 
man you will pay for this service,” he added, 
apparently hurt by the appearance of the ensign 
on the foremast. 

"But you have neither branch nor warrant; 
and if anything should happen to the Sylvania 
while she has not a regular pilot on board, my 
passengers would never forgive me.” 

"But I know that bar as well as I knew the 
rooms in my father’s house,” protested the Flo- 
ridian. 

"But you are not an authorized pilot,” I in- 
sisted. 

I could not see why he was so strenuous about 
the matter, unless it was because he thought I dis* 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


75 


trusted his ability. The steamer was not insured, 
so that nothing depended upon that matter ; but I 
could not trust a pilot whose ability had not been 
proved. Cornwood was quite sulky about the mat- 
ter for some time, and declared that, if he was to 
be of no use on board he did not care to remain. 
He had some self-respect, and he could not take 
his salary if he did not earn it. 

When the pilot came on board it proved to be 
the same one who had taken us over in December. 
He had a great deal to say about the exciting 
events of that day ; and as he stood at the wheel 
he asked many questions about the steamer and 
the man who had attempted to wreck her. 

" I took an ice schooner up to Jacksonville about 
three weeks ago, and I stopped a day in the city,” 
said the pilot. "You see, I live on Fort George 
Island, and when I go up to the city I always 
come down again as soon as I can ; but this time 
I stopped over for a day, for I had a chance to 
bring a vessel down. I went into a saloon on 
Bay Street, and who should I see behind the bar 
but the man that ran the other steam-yacht into 
this one, or tried to do so, and got the boot on 
t’other leg.” 

"What, Captain Boomsby?” I asked, aston- 
ished at the information. 


76 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


" Yes, that’s the name. I had forgotten wht*t 
it was ; and he hadn’t got his sign out then.” 

" Do you mean to say that he is in business m 
Jacksonville?” I asked. 

"He keeps a saloon there.” 

"What sort of a saloon?” 

"Why, a bar-room,” replied the pilot, laugh- 
ing. " He told me he had been up north since I 
saw him, and had brought his family down. He 
lives overhead the saloon ; and he seemed to be 
doing a lively business.” 

" I am afraid he will be his own best customer,” 
I added. 

" I reckon he is, for he was getting rather full 
when I saw him.” 

"He talked about coming to Florida when I 
saw him in Michigan ; but he said he was going 
into the business of raising early vegetables and 
oranges.” 

" He has got a place up the river, and means to 
raise truck for the market besides. He must have 
some money.” 

" I think he has considerable property. He did 
not find fanning in Michigan as profitable as he 
expected. He is one of those men who want to 
coin money all at once.” 


TACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 77 

Shortly after noon we came to anchor off the 
city. The pilot leaped into his canoe, and boarded 
a steamer going down the river. Colonel Shepard 
was in a hurry to go on shore, and I landed him 
at once. The steward went off to the market for 
ice and fresh provisions in the other boat. I did 
not expect all my passengers to remain on board 
while we were at Jacksonville. The Colonel had 
a house which had been badly damaged by fire 
while we were here in December, and I had no 
doubt he would occupy it, with his family, while 
we remained here. 

He was not absent more than an hour, for his 
house was on St. James Park, a short distance 
from the shore. Everything about it had been 
put in complete repair, and it was ready for occu- 
pancy. In the afternoon we landed the family, 
and the Hon. Mr. Tiffany and his daughter were 
invited to go with them. The Syl vania seemed to 
be deserted when they were gone ; but in a few 
days we were to begin the trip up the river, and 
in the meantime take the party on such excur- 
sions as they desired to make. Of course Owen 
went with the Shepards. 

Chloe had made herself so agreeable to the ladies 
that they desired her to accompany them on shore. 


78 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


The steamer was in first-rate condition, and there 
was nothing for anybody to do but eat and sleep. 
Mr. Kirby Cornwood was still sulky because he 
had not been permitted to pilot the vessel up from 
the ocean ; but I was not disposed to comfort him. 
About four o’clock, it was so quiet on board, I 
thought I would go on shore for a while. Wash- 
burn was asleep in our room, and I did not dis- 
turb him, for we had all been up till after midnight 
the night before, listening to the music, and enjoy- 
ing the moonlight. 

I landed at the boat wharf opposite the Grand 
National Hotel, on Bay Street. This is the prin- 
cipal street of the city, and both sides of it are 
lined with stores, warehouses, and the principa 
public buildings. It extends parallel with the 
river. At one end of it is the railroad station and 
the Grand National ; near the other end are the 
Carlton Hotel and the Yacht Club house. Nearly 
all the business of the city is done on this street. 

When the stranger leaves Bay Street he seems 
to enter another country in passing the distance 
of a single square. About all the other streets 
are bordered with live-oaks or water-oaks, and 
every house has a flower-garden and an orangrf 
grove, on a small scale. The balconies and veraiu 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORID 4. 79 

das are loaded with vines, which are in full flower 
in March. The air is scented with the fragrance 
of the jasmine. The sidewalks are of wood, and 
the roads are the original soil, which looks like 
the blue house-sand of the North. 

St. James Park is two squares from Bay Street 
All of one side of it is occupied by the St. James 
Hotel. In the centre of the park is a small kiosk, 
from which one may take in the surroundings. 
Like all the rest of Florida, even the fertile orange 
groves, the soil looks like blue sand. There are 
plenty of semi-tropical plants, and the scene is as 
unlike anything in the North as possible. In 
every lot there are orange-trees, with oranges on 
them ; but they are not the eatable fruit. They 
are bitter or sour oranges, which remain on the 
trees all winter. 

The orange-trees blossom in March; and then 
the air is densely loaded with their perfume. The 
leaves remain green all winter; but in the early 
spring they begin to put forth new shoots and 
leaves. The old leaves are dark green, and the 
new ones light. On the same tree may be seen 
the old and the new leaves, the ripe fruit, and the 
richly-scented blossoms. Coming from the frozen 
North in March, the traveller seems to be hurled 


80 


down south; or, 


into " eternal summer,” more like fairy-land ihan 
anything else, as the wheels whirl him into Jack- 
sonville. 

I had seen the place in December, coming from 
the summer of a more northern latitude. I had 
spent the winter in more tropical regions, and the 
flowers and the oranges were nothing new to me. 
When I landed I was thinking of the post-office, 
which was my first objective point. We had been 
moving about so much that I had not received a 
single letter since I left Jacksonville in December. 
The post-office is on Bay Street, nearer the north- 
ern than the southern end of the street. I walked 
in that direction ; but I had not gone ten rods be* 
fore I saw Captain Boomsby standing at the door 
of one of the numerous saloons on that street. 

I halted to look at him. His face was very red, 
and he had grown quite stout since he sailed the 
Great West, in which I had had the roughest expe- 
rience of my lifetime with him. He wore no coat, 
for his fat and the fires of the whiskey he drank 
kept him in a fever-heat all the time. I kept back 
behind a pile of goods on the sidewalk while I 
surveyed him, and I hoped he would not see 
me. He seemed to be waiting for customers ; and 
though I desired him to have none, I wished him 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


81 


to retire within his shop, and allow me to pass 
without being seen. 

I was dressed in the full uniform of the steam- 
yacht, with a white canvas cap. He had seen me 
in this rig enough to know it, and my chances of 
passing him without being seen were very small. 
But I was not afraid of him, and I was rather 
ashamed of the idea of dodging him. Taking the 
outside of the sidewalk, and looking intently at 
the other side of the street, where the retail dry- 
goods and curiosity shops were located, I at- 
tempted to get by the saloon without being seen 
by its proprietor. 

" Why, Sandy, how are you ? ” demanded Cap- 
tain Boomsby, rushing out to me and seizing me 
by the hand. 

In spite of my hanging back, he dragged me to 
the door of the saloon. 

"How do you do, Captain Boomsby?” I replied 
coldly. 

"Come in and take sunthin’, Sandy,” he per- 
sisted, dragging me into the saloon in spite of my 
resistance. w You are about man-grown now, and 
I cal’late you can take a drop of whiskey, on a 
pinch.” 

" No, I thank you ; I never take any,” I re- 

6 


82 


down south; or, 


plied, disgusted with his manner and his invita- 
tion. 

"You hain’t been to sea all this time without 
learnin’ to take your grog?” he continued, with a 
coarse laugh. 

" I never drank a drop in my life, and I don’t 
mean to do so,” I answered. 

"You’ll learn in good time. Set down, Sandy, 
and tell me where you’ve been.” 

I told him in as few words as possible where I 
had been, and answered all his questions about my 
passengers. Then he told me he lived over the 
saloon, and insisted that I should go up and see 
the " old woman.” I was a little curious to see 
Mrs. Boomsby, and I followed him up-stairs. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


83 


CHAPTEK Vm. 

A DISAGREEABLE ROOM-MATE. 

I HAD not seen Mrs. Boomsby for several years ; 

and though I had no reason to expect anything 
but abuse from her, my curiosity induced me to 
see her. If anything, she was more of a tyrant 
than her brutal husband, and I had no occasion to 
thank her for anything she had done for me. She 
was the more plucky of the pair, and it had sur- 
prised me, years before, to learn that she " ruled 
the roost.” At that time the captain was actually 
afraid of her. 

" You have got pretty well up in the world, 
Captain Boomsby,” I said when we had gone up 
two flights of stairs and were about to ascend a 
third. 

" Well, you see, I let all these lower rooms; 
and the folks is jest as well off up three pair of 
stairs as up one,” he replied, almost out of breath, 
for the stairs told more heavily on him than on me. 
" Besides, I like to have the old woman as far as ] 


84 


down south; or, 


can from the business ; she don’t interfere so much 
then.” 

The old reprobate chuckled then as though he 
had said something smart ; but I would have given 
a quarter to have had his wife overhear the remark, 
for the fun of the scene that would have ensued. 

" Parker Boomsby ! where on earth air you 
goin’?” shouted a shrill, but very familiar voice 
on the floor below us. 

"All right,” replied the captain, evidently much 
disturbed by the call. "I thought she was up 
here ; but she always turns up just where you don’t 
want her. But come up, Sandy ; I want to show 
you a room I’ve fixed up.” 

" No, I thank you ; as Mrs. Boomsby is not up 
here, I think I will go down,” I replied, beginning 
to retrace my steps. 

" What are you doin’ with strangers up gerret, 
Parker Boomsby? ” demanded the lady on the floor 
below. 

" I’ve got sunthin’ up here that belongs to you, 
Sandy; I want to give it to you,” pleaded the 
captain. " I fetched you up here to give it to you 
afore I took you in to see the old woman.” 

I concluded that he had some reason for taking 
me to the attic of the house, and I was curious to 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 85 

know what it was. It is true he had led me to 
believe that his wife was in this part of the house ; 
but that might have been one of his huge jokes. I 
followed him up the last flight of stairs. I was 
then on the fourth floor of the house. There were 
two large and two small chambers in this attic, 
none of which appeared to be furnished. 

"It is in this room,” said Captain Boomsby, 
leading me into the rear hall chamber. "It’s a 
little grain dark in here.” 

I saw that the window that looked out on the 
river-side of the house had been boarded up. He 
led the way into the room, and I followed him. 

" I’ve got a picter of you when you wasn’t more’n 
four year old. It was taken when you was in the 
poor-house, by a feller that come along taking 
picters, to show what he could do. It hangs on 
the wall over here,” continued the captain, passing 
between me and the door. " You can look at it 
all the rest of the day, if you like.” 

Suddenly he dodged out of the door, and I heard 
the bolt spring as he locked the door behind him. 
I had not expected that he would resort to any 
trick to get possession of me ; and I had been as 
unsuspicious as though I were on board of the 
Sylvania. In fact, I was amazed at the hardihood 


86 


DOWN SOUTH OR, 


of the man in attempting to make a prisoner of me 
in this manner. For some reason or other, I was 
not at all alarmed at my situation. I did not com 
sider the door absolutely invulnerable ; and I was 
confident that I had strength enough to remove the 
boards that had been nailed up before the window. 

When I had been in the room a few minutes, 
there was light enough which came through the 
cracks in the boards before the window to enable 
me to see where I was. There was not an article 
of furniture of any kind in the apartment. The 
boards appeared to be securely fastened, not with 
nails, as I had supposed, but with screws. The 
boards were of hard pine, and about as strong as 
oak. My prison was stronger than it seemed at 
first. 

I came to the conclusion before I had been in 
the room ten minutes, that this apartment had been 
prepared for my reception. Captain Boomsby 
knew that the Sylvania was to return to Jackson- 
ville, as others did. It was plain that he had not 
yet given up the idea of possessing the steamer. 
He claimed to be my guardian, and to have the 
legal right to possess whatever belonged to me. 
Carrington had told him my father was dead, and 
he believed he could carry his point. I had cer- 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


87 


fcainly been bound out to him until I Avas of age ; 
but he had surrendered all his claims to me in 
writing to my father, though this document had 
been destroyed in the fire. 

The fact that I had a father, rendered his claim 
upon me of no \ r alue. I Avas satisfied that no 
laAvyer would undertake the case he proposed to 
make out against me. I learned that he had tried 
in Charleston to employ a legal gentleman to assist 
him in his work of getting possession of the 
steamer ; but no one could furnish any warrant of 
laAV for the proceeding. I was not disposed to 
bother my head Avith the legal aspect of the case, 
for my ancient enemy certainly had no legal right 
to kidnap me, and make me a prisoner in his own 
house. I was a prisoner ; and Avhen I came to a 
realizing sense of the fact, I Avas ready for business. 

" What on airth are you doin’ up here, Parker 
Boomsby ? ” snarled the wife of that worthy ; and 
as I stood at the door of my prison, I could hear 
her pant from the violence of her exertions in as- 
cending the stairs, for, like her liege lord, she had 
greatly increased her avoirdupois since I lived with 
the family at Glossenbury. Possibly she drank 
too much whiskey, like the companion of her joys 
and sorrows, though I had no information on thia 


88 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR. 


point. I only knew that she used to take a little 
when she was too hot or too cold, when she was 
wet or when she was dry. 

" Hush, Nancy ! Don’t cut up now ! ” pleaded 
the master of the house, as perhaps he supposed 
he was. 

" Don’t talk to me, Parker Boomsby ! What are 
you a-doin’ up here ? What sort of a con-spy-racy 
be you gittin’ up at this blessed moment ? Don’t 
talk to me about cuttin’ up ! It is you that is alius 
cuttin’ up, and never tellin’ your peaceful, sufferin’ 
wife what you are doin’,” replied Mrs. Boomsby; 
and I was confident she had been drinking to some 
extent, from her maudlin tones. 

" Hush, Nancy ! I’ve got Sandy Duddleton, 
with all his fine sodjer’s clothes on, in that room,” 
said the captain, in a tone of triumph. " I shall 
make him give up that steam-yachet ; and I shall 
run her as a reg’lar line up to Green Cove Springs, 
stoppin’ at our orange farm both ways,” replied 
Captain Boomsby, using his best efforts to appease 
the anger of his spouse. 

"Hev you got him in there ?” demanded the lady, 
evidently entirely mollified by the announcement 
of her husband. " I want to see him. I hain’t sot 
eyes oi,* him sence I see him in Michigan.” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


89 


" It won’t do to open the door : he’ll git away if 
I do. Wait till he gits tamed down a little, and 
then you shall see him. Good gracious ! I forgot 
all about the bar ! Jest as like as not some nigger 
will come in and help hisself to the best liquor be- 
hind the counter. Run down, Nancy, and tell 
Nicholas to tend to the bar,” said the captain. 

" Run down yourself, you old fool ! ” replied the 
amiable lady. "Do you think I come clear up 
here for nothin’ ? I want to see Sandy Duddleton 
in his sodjer’s clothes.” 

" It won’t do to open that door : he will git out 
if you do. But I must go down and look out for 
the bar. I shouldn’t wonder if I had lost ten cents 
by this time,” replied Captain Boomsby ; and I 
heard his heavy step on the stairs as he went down. 

A moment later I heard a hand applied to the 
handle of the door, and I had no doubt it was Mrs. 
Boomsby trying to open it in order to obtain a 
view of " Sandy Duddleton,” which was the name 
by which I was known when an inmate of the poor- 
house. But the door was locked, and the key was 
in the pocket of the proprietor of the saloon. The 
lady seemed to be angry because she could not get 
into the room where I was ; and I must add that 
I was also sorry she could not, for if she could get 
in, I could get out. 


90 


down south; or, 


She tried the door several times, but she could 
not get in. She said nothing to me ; and as I ex- 
pected no assistance from her, I said nothing. 
Presently I heard her step on the stairs, hardly 
less heavy than that of her husband. I concluded 
that it must be five o’clock by this time ; and look- 
ing at my watch, I found it was half an hour later. 
I wanted to get out before dark ; and so far, I had 
not matured any plan to accomplish this purpose. 
I went to the window, and examined the boards 
which had been screwed up before it. 

I had a large jack-knife in my pocket, which I 
had carried for several years. It had a kind of 
scimitar-shaped blade I had used when at work on 
rigging. But I had little hope of being able 
to remove the screws from the hard pine, which 
was as hard to work as oak. I struck a match I 
had in my pocket, and by the light of it made a 
careful examination of the screw-heads in the 
boards. I saw that holes had been bored in the 
wood to admit the screws : indeed, it would have 
been impossible to get them through without bor- 
ing. Of course this would make it easier to re- 
move the screws. 

But what was the use of taking down the boards 
in front of the window? I could not jump down 


TACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


91 


from the attic floor of the building. Yet I could 
go to the next window, come into the house again, 
and then go down-stairs, the same as anybody 
would I noticed that the lowest board was not 
more than two inches wide : it had been cut to fit 
what remained uncovered of the window. I ap- 
plied my knife to the screws in this narrow strip. 
Though they were hard to move, I succeeded in 
getting them out. But the labor of taking down 
the rest of the boards, or enough of them to enable 
me to pass out, was so great that I was discouraged 
in the attempt to accomplish it. The end of the 
knife-blade did not fit the slit of the screw. 

The removal of the narrow board admitted light 
enough to enable me to see all about the room. 
Next to the door which opened into the hall was 
another, which I concluded led into a closet. There 
was no picture of me when I was a small child ; 
and I wondered if Captain Boomsby had invented 
that fable on the spot. I was not willing to believe 
it. It would have required too great an exercise 
of imaginative power for him ; and it was not un- 
likely that he had spent weeks in evolving the 
brilliant fiction. 

I did not expect to be left alone and unguarded 
for any great length of time. My persecutor knew 


92 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


that I had some enterprise about me, and that 1 
would not tamely submit to my imprisonment. 
Perhaps he noticed that I wore light shoes, and 
should not be likely to kick the door down with 
them, as I might if I had on thick cowhide boots. 
I picked up the narrow strip of board I had re- 
moved from the window; it was very heavy for 
its size. If I had got a purchase on the door of 
the room, I could have pried it down ; but there 
was no chance to get hold of it. 

Possibly there was something in the closet that 
would aid me. I opened the door. As I did so, 
an ugly-looking snake darted out into the room. 
He coiled himself up in one corner of the room 
and showed fight, while I fled to the opposite 


corner. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


93 


CHAPTER IX. 

A BATTLE WITH THE SERPENT. 

I HAD no idea what the snake was, for I had 
never seen one of that kind before. I am not 
particularly afraid of snakes, though they are very 
disagreeable to me. When I was at work in the 
field as a farmer, I suppose I never lost an oppor- 
tunity to kill one that came in my way. But all 
these were harmless reptiles, and of late years I 
have not been disposed to meddle with them. 

The snake that introduced himself to me so un- 
expectedly was not more than three feet long. He 
was of a greenish-brown color, with some yellow 
on the sides. I had the strip of board I had taken 
from the window in my hand when the reptile 
darted out of the closet. I don’t think he had any 
particular intentions, at first, except to get out of 
his prison, as I had to get out of mine. I could 
not blame him for anything he had done so far. 
Like myself, he was a prisoner, and we ought to 
have been in full sympathy with each other. 


94 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


I had released his snakeship from one prison, 
and placed him so much nearer to entire freedom. 
To this extent I was entitled to his gratitude, 
though I did not expect much of him. As he 
darted out of the closet, I sprang from his path 
into the corner of the room, behind the hall-door. 
The next instant he was coiled into a round heap. 
Then he raised his head from the middle of the coil 
about a foot, as it seemed to me, though it could 
hardly have been so high. 

So far from feeling anything like gratitude for 
the favor I had done him, the villain made war 
upon me. Suddenly he made a spring at me ; but 
I had both eyes wide open, and was watching him 
with the most intense anxiety. As he leaped, I 
hit. him with the stick in my hand ; and he fetched 
up against the wall, on the inside of the closet. I 
have no doubt his striking against the partition 
caused some confusion in his ideas : at any rate, he 
dropped on the floor, and began to wriggle about 
in such a manner as no decent snake would, unless 
his ideas were confused. 

My curiosity in regard to that identical snake 
was entirely satisfied, and I made haste to close the 
closet-door. I felt that I had no further business 
with that snake. It has taken me some time te 



A Battle with the Serpent. Page 94, 





















YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


95 


tell about this reptile ; but I think the villain was 
not out of the closet more than three seconds ; at 
any rate, it was a very few seconds. He did busi- 
ness with great rapidity. He had lost no time in 
coming out of his prison, and none in making his 
attack on me. He had wasted no time in conduct- 
ing operations ; and if I had not had the bit of 
board in my hand, I am afraid the snake would 
have got the better of me. 

At the time I had no acquaintance with this 
snake, though he never waits for a formal intro- 
duction when he means business. I know now 
that he was a moccasin. I saw many of them in 
the woods of Florida. They are as venomous as 
the rattlesnake, and are even more dreaded by 
many people, for they give no notice of their inten- 
tion to strike. In the English books of natural 
history this snake is called the water viper. The 
copperhead is one of the same sort. 

I felt as happy as the patron saint of Ireland 
must have felt after he had boxed up the old ser- 
pent, and sunk him at the bottom of the lake. I 
had the enemy where he could not harm me, for it 
was not possible for him to make his way through 
the door. I took the precaution to see that there 
were no holes or cracks through which the snake 


96 


DOWN south; or, 


could again force himself into my unwilling com- 
pany. I could find no opening of any kind. For 
the present I felt entirely safe. 

Though I did not know anything about the kind 
c f snake I was shut up with, I felt from the begin- 
ning that he was poisonous, and that his bite would 
make an end of me. I had closeted him ; and now 
I had time to consider the situation. I came 
promptly to the conclusion that he was put into 
-that closet for my benefit. The conspiracy seemed 
to be almost too crafty for Captain Boomsby; 
though I knew that he was capable of doing such a 
thing. 

When I had considered this subject for a few 
minutes, I found my blood boiling with indigna- 
tion. Before I saw the snake, I was more inclined 
to regard the whole trick in the light of a practical 
joke, rather than as a serious matter. It seemed 
to me just then that my ancient enemy, in his bar- 
gain with Carrington, intended to resort to some 
such device to get rid of me. 

I did not intend to spend the night in that attic 
chamber; and when my blood began to boil, I 
aimed a blow at one of the panels of the door with 
the heavy stick in my hand. The thin board that 
formed this part of the door split under the blow. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 97 

x followed it up as though I had been chopping 
wood. The panel shivered under the vigorous 
assault I made upon it. In a minute, I had a hole 
through. Inserting my stick in the opening, I 
pried out the rest of the panel. But the hole was 
not big enough to admit the passage of my body. 

I had hardly succeeded in making a breach in 
the door, before I heard the most lusty screams in 
the lower part of the house. I had no difficulty in 
recognizing the voice of Mrs. Boomsby. She heard 
the noise of my bombardment, and was calling her 
husband in her usual affectionate manner. But I 
was not at all disturbed by the outcry. I was even 
willing they should bring the police to their assist- 
ance. But I did not expect any outside aid would 
be called in, for that would do the Boomsby s more 
harm than it would me. In a word, I did not care 
who came : I intended to break my way out of my 
prison, all the same. 

Placing my stick edgeways in the opening I had 
made, I had a good leverage, the end of the bar 
being outside of the stile of the door, and the face 
of it against the middle piece. I pushed against 
the end of the lever with all the power I had. The 
middle stile snapped in the mortise, for the whole 
door was not more than an inch and a quarter thick. 

7 


98 


DOWN south; or, 


I had broken out the mortise, and the lever went 
"home.” I could no longer apply the implement 
with effect, and I expected every minute to see the 
portly form of Captain Boomsby on the stairs, 
hurrying up to save his prisoner. But I had no 
fear of him : if he attempted to prevent my depart- 
ure, I should use the stick as an argument with 
him, as I had done with the door. 

Finding I could no longer use the lever to ad- 
vantage, I grasped the middle piece of the door 
with both hands, and gave a desperate pull at it. 
There were no nails or pins to resist me, and the 
parts of the door snapped like pipe-stems. I 
wrenched out the middle piece, and then the other 
panel. Then I had an opening in the door eighteen 
inches wide, which was almost enough to permit 
the passage of my fat foe. 

The middle piece and both panels of the upper 
part of the door lay in many pieces on the floor, 
in the room, and in the hall. I used all reasonable 
haste in making my way through the opening I had 
forced. When I was in the hall, I began to feel 
good-natured again ; for I will not deny that I was 
mad when I realized my relations with that snake. 
I did not care a straw for Captain Boomsby. If it 
came to the worst, I believed I could " handle " 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 99 

him, to use his own choice phrase, with the aid of 
the stick in my hand. I was determined not to let 
the piece of hard pine go out of my hands while I 
remained in the house. 

Mrs. Boomsby was still shouting for "Parker 
Boomsby,” for she always called him by his full 
name when she was excited. I was willing she 
should shout. I felt quite cool, composed, and 
pleasant. I was ready to make an orderly retreat 
from the house. But I had not lost all interest in 
that snake, which I believed was intended for my 
executioner. I put my head into the opening I 
had made in the door. I found I could reach the 
door of the closet ; and with a very hasty move- 
ment I threw it wide open. 

I wondered whether or not I had killed his snake- 
ship when I poked him back into his prison. The 
last I had seen of him he was wriggling on the 
floor, stirring himself up in the most lively manner. 
But the reptile immediately proved that I had not 
killed him by darting out into the room as lively 
as he had done the same thing before. I did not 
believe it was possible for him to get out through 
the opening by which I had escaped from my 
prison ; but I was not quite willing to wait to test 
the question. The villain could crawl like most 


100 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


other snakes with which I was familiar, but he also 
had a talent for leaping. I considered it wise and 
prudent to begin my retreat without any delay. 

I took a last look at the snake. He had re- 
treated to the corner of the room opposite the 
closet-door and coiled himself up, with his head in 
the centre. He kept his eyes fixed on me, or I 
fancied he did. He looked as ugly as sin itself. 
He seemed to me to be as near like Captain 
Boomsby as one pin is like another. They both 
did business on the same principle. Mentally I 
bade him an affectionate adieu. So far as I was 
concerned, he seemed to have none of the serpent’s 
power of fascination, for I had not the slightest 
inclination to continue gazing at him after I had 
gratified my curiosity. I descended the upper 
flight of stairs. The doors of the rooms on this 
floor were all open, and I saw that the two rear 
chambers were furnished as bedrooms. 

I went into one of these rooms, and seated my- 
self in a chair. Mrs. Boomsby was on the floor 
below, standing at the head of the stairs, calling 
for her husband. It has taken me a long time to 
record the incidents of my escape so far, and my 
reflections upon them ; but when I looked at my 
watch I found that only eight minutes had elapsed 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA, 10! 

since I consulted it before, at half past five. Prob- 
ably it was not five minutes from the time I first 
saw the snake till I was seated in the chair in the 
room below. The lady of the house had not, 
therefore, stood a great while in her present posi- 
tion. Her husband had had time enough to come 

© 

up-stairs since he was first called, but he probably 
had a customer in the saloon. 

As I sat in the chair, I suddenly began to wonder 
whether snakes had a talent for coming down-stairs. 
The idea was just a little bit appalling, for I had 
no desire to meet his snakeship again. Neither 
the stairs nor the halls were carpeted. If he came 
down in the usual way, I should be likely to hear 
him tumbling down the steps. But I rejected this 
idea ; for on further reflection I concluded that a 
snake would not come down like a man, when there 
was a better way for one of his habits to accom- 
plish the purpose. Whatever the villain was, if 
he came down at all, he would take to the stair- 
rail. I felt sure of this, for it seemed to be the 
most natural thing for a snake to do. 

I could not see how the snake was to get out of 
the room. I did not think he could crawl up to 
the opening I had made, for there was nothing for 
him to fasten to in his ascent. It did not seem to 


102 


down south; or, 


me that he could get out unless he made a flying 
leap through the opening. I was by no means 
sure he could not do this ; and I did not care to 
wait for him to experiment on the matter. Just 
then it occurred to me that I was not the only 
person liable to be bitten by that snake. As I 
thought of it, I walked down the stairs. I knew 
that Mrs. Boomsby had a mortal terror of snakes 
when I lived with the family. 

She confronted me in the hall of the second story. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


103 


CHAPTER X. 

THE FELLOW IN THE LOCK-UP. 

Y OU abominable wretch ! ” exclaimed Mrs. 
Boomsby, placing her arms akimbo, and 
looking at me with the utmost ferocity, so that 
between her and the snake I found there was little 
choice. " What are you a-doin’ in my house ? ” 

" Getting out of it, Mrs. Boomsby,” I replied, 
with the good-nature I had been nursing up-stairs 
for several minutes. 

I wondered whether she knew anything about 
the snake. The bare thought was enough to assure 
me that she did not. She would no more have 
permitted the captain, or any other person, to 
bring the most harmless reptile into the house, 
than she would have opened her sleeping apart- 
ment for the reception of the sea-serpent, in which 
both she and her husband believed as in the ocean 
itself. 

" WRat are you a-doin’ here ? Can’t you let us 
be here no more’n you could in Michigan ? Must 


104 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


you pursue us wherever we go?” demanded the 
lady, putting the matter in an entirely new light 
to me, for I believed I had always been able and 
willing to keep away from the Boomsbys. 

"I was invited up-stairs to see you,” I began. 

" Don’t tell me that ! Do you think I live in 
the garret?” 

" I thought we were going rather high up ; but 
I supposed Captain Boomsby knew where to find 
you,” I replied, smiling as sweetly as though there 
were no snakes in the Land of Flowers. " But it 
seems that your husband lured me up there to 
make a prisoner of me. He locked me into the 
little room in the rear attic, which he had fitted 
up for me by screwing boards over the window.” 

" Don’t tell me such a ry-dicerlous story ! I 
don’t believe a w r ord on’t. Nobody ever could 
believe a word you say, Sandy Duddleton ! ” 

" You know very well that I was up there ; for 
I heard your husband tell you so. You talked 
with him about it, and insisted upon seeing me. 
But I don’t wish to dispute about this matter 
with you, for I don’t think you understand all 
his plans,” I replied, moving towards the head of 
the stairs, while she planted herself before me so 
as to prevent my going down. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


105 


" Don’t talk to me, Sandy Duddleton ! ” 

" I won’t talk to you if you will get out of my 
way, and let me out of the house,” I replied, try- 
ing to get by her. 

" What be you go’n’ to do with that stick ? ” she 
asked, as she placed herself in front of me. 

But I saw that she had a reasonable respect for 
the stick, and she was milder than I had seen her 
twenty times before. I looked about me to see 
if there was any other flight of stairs which would 
take me to the street, or to the back yard, which 
opened into a lane by the shore of the river. 
From the lower hall a door opened into the sa- 
loon ; and this was the way by which I had come 
up. I stood in the hall with my back to a door, 
which I concluded must lead to the rear of the 
house. Without turning around, I opened this 
door. 

"What be you a-doin’?” demanded Mrs. Booms- 
by, when she saw that she was flanked; for a 
glance behind me revealed the back stairs. " Par- 
ker Boomsby, come right up here, this minute ! ” 
she called down the front stairs. 

" I won’t trouble the captain,” I interposed. " I 
have a word to say to you before I go, Mrs. 
Boomsby. " I don’t think you knew there was a 


106 


DOWN south; or, 


snake about three feet long in the room where 
your husband made me a prisoner.” 

" A snake ! ” gasped the lady of the house, 
starting back with alarm. " I don’t believe a 
word on’t ! ” 

But she did believe it, whatever she said. 

" Yes, a snake ; and I have no doubt he is a 
poisonous one, put there to bite me, and make an 
end of me, so that the captain could get posses- 
sion of the steam-yacht ! ” I continued, rather vig- 
orously, for I was afraid I should be interrupted 
by the coming of the captain. 

"A snake in this house! a pizen one, too!” 
groaned Mrs. Boomsby. 

" He was put in the closet ; and when I opened 
the door he came out and made a spring at me. 
I left him in that room.” 

"Didn’t you kill him, Sandy Duddleton? You 
used to kill snakes.” 

" I didn’t kill this one, though I struck at him. 
I broke through the door, and, for aught I know, 
the snake is following me down-stairs,” I replied 
deliberately. "I think you will see him coming 
down on the stair-rail.” 

She did not wait to hear any more, but, with a 
tremendous scream, rushed by me, bolted into the 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 107 

front room, and closed and locked the door behind 
her. I certainly did not wish the reptile to bite 
her or her children ; but I did not think there was 
much danger of the villain getting out of the room 
through the opening I had made in the door. 

The scream of the stout lady did not appear to 
move her husband, who was probably used to this 
sort of thing. I had put her on her guard in case 
the snake did work his way out of the room and 
down the stairs. I had done my duty, and I 
walked leisurely down to the hall. The door lead- 
ing into the saloon was still wide open. The uses 
of this door were many and various. I had been 
not a little surprised in some of the Southern cities 
to notice that the drinking-saloons were all closed 
on Sunday. In some of them not even a cigar 
could be bought at the hotel on that day. 

Doubtless the law was as strict in Jacksonville 
as elsewhere ; but I had noticed that every saloon 
had a side door for Sunday use. The front door 
of the house was closed on other days ; on Sun- 
day it was left open, as an intimation that the 
saloon could be reached in that way. I thought of 
this Sunday rum-selling as I noticed the arrange- 
ment of the doors. Of course the police under- 
stood it. 


108 


DOWN south; or, 


I approached the door opening into the saloon, 
for I heard the voice of my former tyrant. I 
wanted to assure him that I was happy still, and 
that he had better look out for the snake before 
he bit any of his family. 

" He never could get out of there in this world ! ” 
exclaimed Captain Boomsby, as I was about to en- 
ter the saloon. 

"Do you think so, Captain Boomsby?” I coolly 
asked, as I walked into the room. 

To my astonishment, the person to whom the 
Captain’s remark appeared to be addressed was 
Mr. Kirby Cornwood, whom I had left on board 
of the Syl vania, asleep under the awning. The 
Floridian was evidently as much astonished to see 
me as I was to see him. 

"We were speaking of a fellow who was ar- 
rested last night,” said Cornwood, with one of his 
blandest smiles. "I think he will get out of the 
lock-up in less than three days ; but the keeper 
of this place remarked that he would never get 
out in this world. Only a slight difference of 
opinion.” 

"I tell you the fellow will never get out; he 
isn’t smart enough in the first place, and the 
lock-up is stronger than you think for, Mr. I 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 109 

don’t know ’s I know your name, though I cal’late 
I have seen you somewhere afore,” added Captain 
Boomsby. 

"I reckon you have seen me here before,” re- 
plied Corn wood, taking his card from his pocket 
and presenting it to the captain. 

" I can’t read it without my glasses,” said the 
saloon-keeper, holding the card off at arm’s length. 

" My name is Kirby Cornwood,” added the Flo- 
ridian. 

"Well, Mr. Corngood, do you — ” 

"My name is Cornwood,” interposed the guide. 

"I beg your parding, Mr. Cornwool.” 

" Cornwood,” repeated the owner of that name, 
rather indignantly. 

"All right, Mr. Cornwood. Do you want to 
bet sunthin’ that man won’t git out within three 
days?” continued Captain Boomsby. 

" I don’t care to bet on it ; in fact I never bet,” 
replied Mr. Cornwood, glancing at me, as though 
he expected me to approve this position, which I 
certainly did, though I said nothing. 

" I will bet five dollars agin three the feller gits 
out in less than three days, Mr. Woodcorn,” per- 
sisted Captain Boomsby. 

I could not see what the captain was driving at, 


110 


down south; or. 


unless it was to vex the Floridian by miscalling 
his name. I had known him to do the same thing 
before. If my old tyrant had manifested some 
surprise at first at seeing me, he seemed to have 
got over it very quickly. I was very glad indeed 
to be satisfied that Cornwood had no knowledge 
of my imprisonment in the attic, as I supposed he 
had when I entered the saloon. I had employed 
him, and was then paying him five dollars a day 
for doing nothing. I did not wish to believe that 
he was a friend of my ancient enemy. 

" Captain Boomsby, I had to break a hole 
through the door of the room in which you 
locked me, in order to get out,” I said, as soon 
as I had an opportunity to get in a word. 

" Then you must pay for it, for the landlord 
will charge it to me,” said he, promptly. 

" I think not ; and if it were not for the time it 
would take, I would complain of you at the police 
office. I don’t know what kind of a snake it was 
you put into the closet for my benefit; but I 
think you will find him running about your house 
by this time,” I replied. " I gave Mrs. Boomsby 
warning of the danger, and she has locked her- 
self into her room.” 

" What snake, Sandy Duddleton? What you 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. Ill 

talking about?” demanded the captain. But I 
could see that he was not a little disturbed by 
the information. 

"You put a poisonous snake into the closet 
of that room where you locked me in. You ex- 
pected me to open the door of the closet, and let 
him out. I did open the closet-door and let him 
out ; but I did not give him a chance to bite me,” 
I continued, rehearsing the facts for the benefit of 
Cornwood rather than my tyrant. 

"What on airth are you talking about, Sandy? 
I don’t know nothin’ about no snake,” protested 
Captain Boomsby. 

"I think you know all about the snake, and 
that you put him there for my benefit. I have 
nothing further to say about the matter, except 
that the creature is still in your house, and that 
he will bite one of your children as readily as he 
would me. I advise you to attend to the matter, 
and have him killed,” I continued, moving toward 
the door. 

" Stop a minute, Sandy,” called my persecutor. 
" What sort of a snake was it ? ” 

"I don’t know ; I never saw one like it before.” 

"I guess I know sunthin’ about it, arter all,” 
said Captain Boomsby, with a troubled look. 


112 


DOWN south; OR, 


" I had a lodger in the house, and he had an attic 
room. He had a lot of young alligators, rattle- 
snakes, lizards, and other critters ; and I let him 
put ’em in that room. He screwed the boards over 
the winder so they couldn’t git out. I cal’late this 
was one of his snakes.” 

I had no doubt this story was all an invention, 
but I had no means of showing to the contrary. 
He begged me to go up-stairs, and help him kill 
the "varmint;” but I declined to do this, for I 
was not willing again to make myself the vic- 
tim of his treachery. The captain called his son 
Nicholas from the front shop, w T hich was a cigar 
store, and told him to look out for the bar. 

Before he could go up-stairs two black police- 
men entered the saloon, armed with sticks. Mrs. 
Boomsby had told them what the matter was, and 
they had come in to kill the reptile. I left the 
premises, followed by Corn wood. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


113 


CHAPTER XI. 

THE HON. PARDON TIFFANY’S WARNING. 

I LEARNED the next day, from one of the 
negro policemen who had been called in, that 
the snake had got out of the room where I left 
him, and that he had been found on the stair-rail, 
a floor below where I had confronted him. My 
informant told me he had killed him as he was 
crawling along the rail, on his way down another 
flight. 

" He was only tryin’ to git away, sah,” added the 
policeman. " Dey alius run away when dey can, 
dem moccasins do ; but dey spring at folks, and 
bite when dey git cornered. Awful bad snake, 
sah. Wuss’n a rattlesnake. Bite kill a man, suah.” 

When I left the saloon, I walked with Corn wood 
to the post-office. When we were in the street, 
he volunteered the opinion that Captain Boomsby 
was the greatest scoundrel in Jacksonville ; and 
without going into the comparative merits of the 
question, I was not disposed to dispute the point. 
8 


114 


down south; or, 


Cornwood seemed to feel relieved after he had ex- 
pressed this opinion, and the subject was dropped. 

I had told a colored clerk in the post-office to 
keep all letters for me until my return, for when 
we left Jacksonville I could not tell where we were 
going, and I expected to be back a month sooner. 
He greeted me very politely when I presented my- 
self at the window, and handed me a large package 
of letters, secured with a rubber band. I thanked 
him for his kindness ; and I must add that this one 
and another colored clerk I saw in Charleston, were 
more polite and gentlemanly than many a white 
clerk I have encountered in more northern cities. 

Though I had received no letters for over two 
months, I had not failed to write them regularly to 
Mr. Brickland, and to my father since I had been 
assured that he was still living. I looked over the 
package that had been handed to me. There were 
two from my father. My heart thrilled with emo- 
tion when I recognized the handwriting. I thought 
no more of Captain Boomsby and his snake. 

" Will there be anything I can do for you to-day 
or to-night, Captain Garningham ? ” asked Corn- 
wood, as I stood looking at the outside of my 
letters. 

" Nothing,” I replied. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 115 

" Then I think I will sleep on shore, if you have 
no objection,” he added. 

"None whatever,” I answered; and with the 
bundle of letters in my hand, I was glad to get rid 
of him, for he was rather officious, and often inter- 
rupted me in my state-room when there was not 
the least need of it. 

Cornwood raised his Panama hat, bowed politely 
to me, and then hastened out of the building. He 
had hardly disappeared before the Hon. Mr. Tiffany 
came into the office. He dropped some letters 
into the box, and then approached me with a smil- 
ing face. All I had seen of this gentleman pleased 
me very much. My father called him his best 
friend in the letter of introduction brought to me. 
For this reason, if for no other, I should have re- 
spected and esteemed him ; but I was not glad to 
see him at this moment. I wanted to be alone 
with my letters. 

"Good evening, Captain Alick,” said he. "I 
see you have a large packet of letters, and I won’t 
interrupt you but for a moment. Are you going 
on board of the steamer now ? ” 

"Yes, sir ; I thought I would go on board and 
read my letters. Two of them are from my father 
— the first I have received from him for many 


116 


DOWN south; ok. 


months,” I replied, wishing to have him under- 
stand my situation fully. 

" I will not keep you from them a moment,” he 
added, considerately. "But I suppose you will 
not attempt to read them till you go on board ? ” 

"No, sir,” I answered, putting the two letters 
from my father into my breast-pocket, with my 
most valuable papers, and dropping the others into 
a side-pocket. "I can’t read them very well in 
the street.” 

"Then I will walk with you to your boat,” con- 
tinued Mr. Tiffany. 

" I shall go to the wharf on which the market is 
located, and hail the steamer. I have found that 
is the best place to land.” 

We left the office, and walked up the street. 
My companion evidently had something to say to 
me, and had possibly started to go on board for 
the purpose of seeing me. I did not feel much 
interest in anything he might have to say under 
the circumstances. 

"Just before I joined you in the post-office, I 
saw you with Mr. Cornwood. Pray don’t think I 
wish to meddle impertinently with your affairs, 
Captain Alick,” said Mr. Tiffany ; and he seemed 
to be somewhat embarrassed about saying what he 
wished to say. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 117 

" By no means, sir,” I replied, beginning to feel 
an interest in the conversation ; but rather on ac- 
count of the manner than the matter of what he 
said. 

" Then if you won’t take offence, I wish to say 
that I desire to warn you in regard to this man 
Cornwood,” continued the friend of my father. 

" You desire to warn me in regard to Mr. Corn- 
wood ! ” I exclaimed, stopping short on the side- 
walk, so great was my surprise at his words, as 
well as his manner. 

" I beg you will not take any offence at what I 
say, Captain Alick, for I assure you I have nothing 
but the best of motives towards you,” protested 
Mr. Tiffany, as we resumed our walk. 

" I shall not take offence at anything you say, 
sir,” I answered. 

" After the very great service you have rendered 
me, you must think I am inhuman to be ungrateful 
to you so soon,” continued Mr. Tiffany. " I assure 
you there is nothing like ingratitude in my heart ; 
and I would wrong myself a thousand times before 
I would wrong you once.” 

" I believe every word you say, sir : and it has 
not even occurred to me to suspect your motives,” 
I replied with energy. " The letter you brought 


118 


down south; or, 


me from my father would cause me to put entire 
confidence in you ; but without that, I should not 
for an instant suspect you of anything unworthy 
towards me, or anybody else. When you warned 
me against Mr. Cornwood, I was surprised on ac- 
count of something which occurred this afternoon.” 

"I shall not even ask you what occurred this 
afternoon ; and you may keep your own counsel in 
regard to Mr. Cornwood. I repeat that I have 
not the least desire to meddle with your affairs.” 

"As the best friend of my father, I am sure I 
should value your advice and counsel very highly.” 

" I do not often counsel or advise anybody out 
of my own family, unless I am asked to do so. 
Here is the market wharf ; and I have said all I 
have to say in regard to Mr. Cornwood. I only 
desire to warn you to keep your eyes wide open in 
dealing with him, for I learned from Owen that you 
have engaged the Florida person for your journey 
up the river.” 

"Do you know anything about him, Mr. Tif- 
any?” I asked, as much surprised to hear that he 
• had nothing more to say as I had been, in the first 
place, to learn that he had anything to say in regard 
to the guide. 

" I can’t say that I do,” he replied, with a rather 
vacant look. 


TACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 119 

" Why do you warn me against him, then?” 

"That is certainly a very pertinent question, 
Captain Alick. I have no right to say anything 
against this person, for I know nothing against 
him. While I will not harm him, I warn you to 
look out for him.” 

" I suppose you must have some reason for what 
you say,” I added, as I waved my handkerchief in 
the direction of the Sylvania, as a signal for a boat. 

"Undoubtedly 1 have some reason for what I 
say. It may be enough to cause me to suspect 
him. I have only asked you to look out for him, 
for I do not feel at liberty to utter a word to his 
disparagement until I know it is true.” 

Mr. Tiffany seemed to be very earnest in what 
he said ; but I was disappointed because he did not 
say more. He had been in Jacksonville a week 
before he went to St. Augustine ; and it was pos- 
sible that he had seen something of the guide 
during his stay. 

" I see that you are not quite satisfied with what 
I have said. I cannot blame you for feeling so ; 
but I should blame myself if I said anything more 
about this man,” continued my father’s friend. " I 
make no charge against Cornwood ; I only say, as 
I might if we were facing a strange snake, he may 


120 


down south; or, 


do us harm, and we must look out for ourselves. 
Really, that is all I can say about the matter.” 

By this time the port boat had come up to the 
wharf. Mr. Tiffany bade me good night, and has- 
tened up the pier. I was not satisfied, as he had 
suggested. He suspected Cornwood of something, 
but he did not even say what, much less give me 
the grounds for his suspicion. But I could obtain 
no more, and went into the boat. In a few minutes 
I was on the deck of the steamer. My supper was 
all ready, and I was obliged to attend to it before 
I looked at my letters. 

My state-room was lighted, and I was by myself. 
At last I was alone with my letters. Washburn 
was on the forward deck, discussing the condition 
of the South with Griffin Leeds. I took out the 
two letters from my father. Both of them were 
mailed in London, though my father’s home was in 
Shalford, Essex, about fifty miles from the great 
city. One was postmarked December 15th, and 
the other January 2d. I opened the one of the 
earliest date. 

It was written immediately after his return to 
England from India. He had received no letters 
or intelligence of any kind from me for man}’ 
months. He had been so worried about me that 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


121 


he could hardly stay to complete his business in 
India. He found nothing from me on his arrival 
at his home, nothing at the office of his solicitor, 
to whom all my letters had been forwarded, in 
London. He wrote that he found Mr. Carrington 
had gone to America, and his office was in charge 
of his confidential clerk. 

I understood it all. This clerk must have de- 
stroyed all my letters to my father as soon as they 
reached the office, as he had been instructed to do 
by his employer. I felt sick at heart when I real- 
ized the distress of my father at getting no tidings 
from me. But since I sailed on this cruise from 
Detroit, six months before, I had supposed he was 
dead, and of course I wrote no letters to him. 

I took up the second letter, expecting to read 
more of my father’s despair on account of my long 
silence. I opened it : it was bright and cheerful 
as the first was gloomy and despondent. He had 
received my " welcome letter of December 4th,” 
which I had written at Jacksonville, after the dis- 
covery of all the details of the conspiracy against 
me. I had written a full account of the matter, 
with the history of the voyage up to that date. It 
was after Colonel Shepard’s house had been dam- 
aged by fire, and the West India trip had been 


122 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


arranged. I had asked him to write me at Jack- 
sonville, but not to be alarmed if he did not hear 
from me for some time, for I hardly knew where 
we were going. He had been amazed at the con- 
tents of my letter. The clerk had confessed all to 
him. I was entirely satisfied with the conclusion 
of the matter. The rest of the letters were from 
my friends at the North. 


YACHT ADVENTURE S IN FLORIDA. 


123 


CHAPTER XH. 

SUGGESTIONS OF ANOTHER CONSPIRACY. 

I FELT like a beleaguered general who had just 
opened communication with his reinforcements, 
when I again found myself holding intercourse, 
even by letter, with my father. It seemed as 
though a new life had begun for me. My father 
was happy, and so was I. He declared that he 
should join me as soon as his business would allow 
him to leave England ; and that when he found me, 
as he should wherever I wandered, he never would 
leave me again. 

My father alluded at considerable length to " his 
best and truest friend,” Mr. Tiffany. He had 
written to him, and desired him to take an interest 
in my affairs if he thought I needed any assistance, 
either with money or counsel. This was a partial 
explanation of the conduct of Mr. Tiffany ; but he 
was a very strange man because he said nothing to 
me about his instructions from my father. 

Before I had finished reading the rest of my 


124 


DOWN south; or, 


letters, Washburn came into the room ; but when 
he saw I was engaged, he began to retire. I asked 
him to remain. He was my ever-faithful friend. 
He had fathomed the conspiracy against me, and I 
valued his counsel more than that of any other 
person. He had my fullest confidence, though he 
never sought to know my business. 

I related to him all the incidents of my visit to 
the city, including a full account of my adventures 
with the Boomsbys and the other snake. I need 
not say that he was intensely interested. 

" That Boomsby ought to be hung ! ” he ex- 
claimed, as soon as I had finished my story. 

"Perhaps not,” I replied, giving the captain’s 
explanation of the presence of the snake in the 
closet. 

" I should like to follow that lodger’s history, if 
Captain Boomsby had any such person in his house, 
which I do not believe,” added the mate. " When 
I go on shore I will try to find out whether or not 
he had any lodger, and I think I can get at it.” 

" It is hardly worth the trouble,” I replied. 

"I think it is. For months we have Been satis- 
fied that this villain means you harm ; but we have 
never been able to prove anything,” said Washburn, 
with energy. " It is time to quit fooling with such 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 125 

matters. If he did not mean to sink the Syl vania 
for your benefit, he never meant anything in his 
life ; but he explained it away, and everybody that 
knows anything about it, except you and I, be- 
lieves that the accident was simply the result of 
his drunken condition on that morning. It is time 
to prove some of these things.’' 

"I have no objection to having them proved.” 

" I will spend all the time I have on shore in 
this business ; and I am — What was that ? ” 

The mate suddenly jumped from his chair, and 
rushed out of the room by the new door on the 
port side. I followed him. 

"What are you doing at that window?” de- 
manded Washburn, to a man he had collared near 
the door of the engine-room, for he had pluck 
enough to pick up a water moccasin, if the occa- 
sion required. 

I could not make out the man in the darkness ; 
and I did not quite comprehend the reason for his 
sudden assault on him. All the windows of our 
state-room were open, for the evening was warm. 

"I wasift doing anything, Mr. Washburn,” 
pleaded the culprit, in whose voice I recognized 
that of Grifiin Leeds. 

" You were standing under the open window of 


126 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


the captain’s room ! ” continued the mate, releasing 
his hold on the waiter when he found he offered no 
resistance. 

"No, sir; I wasn’t standing there,” replied 
Griffin, in a meeching tone. " I got asleep on the 
fo’ castle after you went in ; and I just waked up. 
I was just going below to turn in when you came 
out and got hold of me. That’s the whole of it, 
sir.” 

"If I ever catch you under an open window 
again, I will throw you overboard. We don’t have 
anything of that kind on board of this steamer,” 
said the mate, in a very decided tone. 

Griffin went below to his quarters under the fore- 
castle, and Washburn followed me into the room. 
I thought he^was a little rough on the new waiter, 
who had given excellent satisfaction in the forward 
cabin. I said as much as this to the mate. 

" The rascal was listening under that window to 
the talk between you and me,” replied Washburn. 
" If you agree to have that thing done on board, 
you are the captain, and I have nothing more to 
say about it.” 

"If you are satisfied that he was listening to us, 
you did just right. But I move to amend by sub- 
stituting his discharge for throwing him overboard,” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


127 


I replied, laughing. "Do you think the fellow 
heard what we were saying ? ” 

" I have no doubt of it : he had been there for 
some time, for I heard a slight noise at that window 
soon after I came in ; and I am confident he had 
been there ever since. I confess that I do not 
like the fellow very much, for I have seen him 
skulking about the deck with a hang-dog look 
which I don’t admire. I have suspected him of 
something, though I don’t know what, since the 
first day he came on board. While I am in for it, 
Alick, I might as well add that Cornwood is just 
such another fellow.” 

" Cornwood? ” I asked, very much surprised, for 
I had not noticed anything in either the Floridian 
or the waiter to attract my attention. 

" I don’t know anything about Cornwood ; and 
I suppose you looked up his record before you en- 
gaged him. At any rate, he acts like a snake, in 
my way of thinking,” added the mate, whom none 
could accuse of covering up anything he believed 
or thought. 

" I did inquire about him in St. Augustine : 
people thought well of his knowledge and ability, 
though they agree that he is a brag and a boaster.” 

"If there were nothing worse than that about 


128 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


him, I should only laugh. But I think he is a 

snake.” 

" What makes you think so ? ” 

" I don’t know ; I only know that I do think so.” 

" But you are not a fellow to think ill of anybody 
without some reason for it.” 

" I have no reason, except his looks and actions,” 
replied the mate. "I make no charges against 
him, and I can prove nothing ; but Corn wood is a 
fellow that will bear watching.” 

" That is just what the Hon. Pardon Tiffany took 
the trouble to tell me this afternoon,” I added, 
relating the particulars of my interview with that 
gentleman. 

"I am glad there is some one besides myself 
who has an opinion on the subject,” said Washburn. 

" Cornwood was in Captain Boomsby’s rumhole 
when I came down stairs after the row in the attic,” 
I added, watching the face of my friend to notice 
the effect of this announcement. 

" That’s the best place for him ; only this fellow 
will do a piece of treachery better than Boomsby 
can. Cornwood will not get drunk when he has a 
heavy job of iniquity on his hands. Boomsby is a 
wolf: this fellow is a snake. Cornwood reminds 
me of a kind of reptile they have in these parts, 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 129 

called the small rattlesnake. He is a little fellow, 
and you can’t hear his rattle ; but his bite will kill 
you as quick as that of a five-footer. You can’t 
see or hear him, and the first thing you know you 
are a dead man. That’s Cornwood’s style, as I 
understand him.” 

" You are rough on him. What you say of him, 
and what you have done to Griffin, remind me that 
the two men seemed to have some connection before 
we engaged either of them,” I continued, thinking 
of the events of that first day in St. Augustine. 
" Griffin brought off Corn wood in a boat.” 

"And when you apply to Corn wood for a stew- 
ardess, Griffin’s wife appears to take the place. 
But I am bound to say I believe she is a lady,” 
added the mate. 

" Then you think we are marching into hot water, 
do you, Washburn?” I asked with interest. 

" I don’t say you are : I don’t know that you 
are : only that we had better keep our eyes wide 
open, as Mr. Tiffany suggests. But it does look 
to me as though some sort of a storm is brewing.” 

" But where can the storm possibly come from ? ” 

"From that rumhole in Bay Street which you 
visited this afternoon. I have heard that Boomsby 
threatened a dozen times to be the destruction of 
9 


130 


down south; or, 


you. He says you have been the plague of his 
life ; that you have crossed and defeated him so 
many times that he will be the ' ruination ’ of you 
yet. This is out of pure revenge. Besides this, 
he believes your father is dead, and that, if he can 
get you out of the way, or bring you into subjec- 
tion to what he calls his authority, this steamer will 
come into his possession. I know he is a fool ; 
but he believes all this nonsense.” 

" Then you mean to suggest — without being able 
to prove it — that Cornwood is an agent of Captain 
Boomsby ; and that Griffin Leeds is a tool of 
Cornwood, sent on board to watch me, as well as 
to wait on the fore-cabin table,” I added, putting 
the various hints into words. 

" I don’t say it means anything ; but that is what 
it means, if anything,” replied Washburn after some 
hesitation. " Nothing can be proved ; and we 
should not be justified in doing anything on mere 
suspicion. All we have to do is to keep a close 
watch on Cornwood and Griffin Leeds.” 

We agreed to do this, but in such a manner as 
not to alarm the conspirators, if they were such. 
I told Washburn then that I had letters from my 
father, and gave him both of them to read. While 
he was thus engaged, I began a letter to my father. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 131 

"The last one is written in good spirits,” said 
the mate, as he laid the letters on my table. " But 
isn’t it a little strange that you have no letter of 
later date than last January from your father? I 
should have supposed there would have been three 
or four more letters awaiting you ; I mean those 
he must have written in January.” 

"I think there is nothing strange about that,” I 
replied ; but my heart sank within me at the very 
thought of any more doubts and uncertainties. " I 
wrote him that the Sylvania was bound to the 
Bahamas ; but I had no idea where we should go 
next, or how long we should remain at any place 
to which we might go. I said we expected to 
return to Jacksonville in February.” 

"That explains the matter. You did not show 
me your letter to him,” replied the mate. "But 
we are several days into March, and you ought to 
hear from your father again very soon.” 

" I shall expect a letter from him every day until 
I get one. I don’t believe anything more can 
happen to him or me, for we have had our full 
share of mishaps.” 

The mate was turning in for the night, when 
Buck Lingley brought me a note from Owen, 
which had just been sent off by a boatman. My 


132 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


cousin had arranged for an excursion to Fort George 
Island, near the mouth of the St. Johns River, 
for the next day at ten, if the weather was favor- 
able. He expected about thirty people, and wanted 
dinner for them. I told Buck to carry the letter 
to the steward, that he might make his purchases 
of provisions early in the morning. It was one 
o’clock when I turned in, after finishing a twelve- 
page letter to my father. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


133 


CHAPTER xni. 

MR. COBBINGTON AND HIS PET RATTLESNAKE. 

I TURNED out the next morning, or rather the 
same morning, only in season for breakfast. I 
had put my letter in the mail-box, and it had gone 
ashore in the first boat at four o’clock. I kept an 
anchor watch all night in port, which was divided 
up amongst all hands in the sailing and engineer’s 
department, except myself. Word had been passed 
from watch to watch to call the steward and a boat’s 
crew at half past three. The boats were hoisted 
up to the davits at night, and it required some 
time to get one into the water. 

When I went in to breakfast, I found that 
Washburn had gone ashore in the steward’s boat, 
and had not yet returned. He was the only person 
on board, besides myself, who had liberty to leave 
the vessel without my permission, or his, if I was 
not on board. But the steamer had been put in 
perfect order the day before, and she never was in 


134 


DOWN south; or, 


better condition than when I looked her over after 
breakfast. The day was bright and clear, as nearly 
all the days were in Florida. Every officer and 
seaman had put on his best uniform, and we were 
in " show ” order, above and below decks. 

The American flag was flying at the peak, and, 

in honor of the English guests who were to come 

on board, I had hoisted the British flag at the fore. 

Both boats’ crews were in readiness to bring off 

© 

the party as soon as they appeared on the Market 
Wharf. About nine o’clock we got a signal from 
that locality, but there was no party there, and 
the signal came from the mate. 

"You went off early, Washburn,” I said, as he 
came up the gangway steps. 

"I was afraid the matter would get cold if I 
waited,” replied the mate, who seemed to be in 
excellent humor. 

"What matter is that?” I inquired. 

" I went ashore to look up that snaky lodger of 
Captain Boomsby’s , ” answered W ashburn . " There 
was certainly a lodger there, who furnished his own 
room, and stayed about two weeks.” 

" Did he furnish his room for a stay of only two 
weeks ? ” I inquired. 

" I have not been able to find the person yet. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


135 


He had his furniture carried to an auction-room, 
where it was sold.” 

" How did you learn all this ? ” 

"I found Boomsby’s saloon first. About five 
o’clock the porter of the store next to it began to 
sweep off the sidewalk. I saw that my uniform 
took his eye, and he was as polite to me as though 
I had been an admiral in the United States Navy. 
I talked with him awhile, asking him questions 
about the city. Finally I brought the matter of 
the conversation down to the subject of saloons. 
I thought there were plenty of them. He told me 
some of them had a separate bar for colored people, 
where they sold the cheapest corn whiskey and 
apple brandy for ten cents a glass, and made nine 
cents on every glass they sold.” 

w That’s just the business for Captain Boomsby : 
it is just mean enough for him,” I added. 

" The porter spoke of the Boomsby saloon as a 
new one opened a few weeks before. The keeper 
had a bar for colored customers in a back room, 
with an entrance from the lane in the rear. When 
he said this, I began to pump him in regard to 
Boomsby. I finally asked if the captain took 
boarders or lodgers. He had one ; but this one 
had had a quarrel with the saloonist’s wife, and had 


136 


DOWN south; or, 


left. He did not know his name, or where he 
went to. He said the cartman that stood at the 
next corner had carted off his furniture.” 

" Then you went for the cartman,” I suggested. 

" I went for him ; but I could not find him for 
some time, and that is what made me so late,” 
continued Washburn. "The porter told me he 
was hauling baggage from the Charleston steamer, 
which had just got in, to the Carlton Hotel. His 
name was Jackman, and it was on his wagon. I 
found the cartman, but he was so busy I had no 
chance to speak to him until half past eight. I 
took my breakfast at the Carlton, which is kept by 
Maine people. I introduced myself to one of the 
proprietors ; and of course they knew my father. 
I told him I had been waiting a long time to speak 
to Jackman. He immediately called him into the 
office. 

" Thus introduced to Jackman, he was willing to 
tell me all he knew on any subject. He said he 
had carried the furniture of the lodger to an auction- 
room, and his trunks and other things to the St. 
Johns House. The lodger’s name was Cobbington ; 
and Jackman thought he was poor.” 

" He must have been, to take a room at Captain 
Boomsby’s house.” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


137 


" I asked Jackman what tilings besides the trunks 
he had carried to the St. Johns Hotel. He replied 
that Cobbington had a pet rattlesnake and a box 
of alligators.” 

"All this goes to confirm Captain Boomsby’s 
explanation,” I added. 

" I think it has a tendency that way. I asked 
Jackman if the lodger had any other snakes ; but 
he knew of no others, and had seen none in the 
attic rooms from which he took his load. I went 
next to the St. Johns House, which is kept by a 
lady. She gave me all the information she could. 
Mr. Cobbington’s rattlesnake had got out of his 
box, and had been killed by one of the boarders. 
He was so angry at the loss of the reptile that he 
left the house at once. The landlady did not know 
where he had gone. Under the circumstances, 
she had not taken the pains to inquire. She did 
not want any gentleman in her house who kept a 
rattlesnake in his chamber ; and I was of just her 
way of thinking. She did not remember what 
cartman had conveyed his baggage from the house. 
If I had had an hour more, I think I could have 
found the man ; for the landlady gave me the day 
on which he left.” 

" I don’t think it will be of much use to follow 


138 


down south; or, 


the matter any further,” I suggested. " This story 
makes it probable that Cobbington had other 
snakes.” 

" It may make it possible, but not probable. It 
is only a matter of fact, and I am going to get to 
the bottom of it if I can,” persisted the mate. 

"I beg pardon, Mr. Washburn, but your break- 
fast is waiting for you,” said Griffin Leeds, stepping 
up to the mate at this moment. 

I started when I heard the silky voice of the 
octoroon. I had heard no step to indicate his ap- 
proach, and I feared that he had listened to some- 
thing one of us had said. 

"I have been to breakfast,” replied the mate, 
rather savagely for him; and I saw that he had 
the same fear. 

The waiter hastened back to the forward cabin, 
where he belonged. Washburn called to Ben 
Bowman, who was standing at the door of the 
engine-room, and asked him how long Griffin had 
stood behind us. The assistant engineer thought 
he had been there two or three minutes, at least, 
waiting for a chance to speak to one of us. I was 
vexed at the circumstance. If Corn wood was the 
agent of Captain Boomsby, and Griffin Leeds was 
the tool of the Floridian, our conversation would 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 139 

all be reported to the principal in the conspiracy, 
always granting there was any truth in our surmises. 

" I suppose we shall get back from this excursion 
some time to-night,” said Washburn, thoughtfully. 

"I think we shall get back before dark,” I replied. 

" I don’t say there is anything in what we were 
talking about last night, but there may be. If 
there is anything in it, Cornwood will tell Boomsby, 
after we return, what we have been talking about,” 
replied the mate. 

" Griffin will find a chance to tell Cornwood that 
you have been looking up the lodger, and Corn- 
wood will carry it to Boomsby,” I repeated. 

"Just so. Now, we must fix things a little. 
Don’t let Cornwood go on shore to-night.” 

"How can I keep him? He is hardly like the 
other members of the ship’s company.” 

" You can need him for some purpose or other,” 
suggested the mate, with a smile. "We must fight 
them with their own weapons.” 

" I was thinking to-day that I wanted to lay out 
the trip up the river with him. I bought a large 
pocket-map of Florida to-day, so that I could do 
it understandingly, though where we go will depend 
largely on the will and pleasure of our passengers. 
I can keep him for this purpose,” I said. 


140 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


"All right; and I will go ashore as soon as the 
mudhook touches the sand on our return,” added 
Washburn. " There are several carriages coming 
down Market Wharf.” 

Both boats were sent to the wharf, and Wash- 
burn went off in one of them to superintend the 
seating of the party in them. All our extra stools 
and chairs had been arranged on the quarter-deck, 
forecastle, and hurricane-deck. There were enough 
of them for twice the number of persons expected, 
but no one could tell where the party would choose 
to sit, and there were enough to accommodate them 
in any one place they might select. Gopher was 
hard at work getting ready for the dinner, and 
Ben was expected to help him as soon as the party 
were on board. 

I stood at the gangway, ready to receive the 
guests. Suddenly a band on the wharf struck up 
a lively air, and I found we were not to depend 
upon our own people for the music. The port 
boat came up first ; and our boatmen were so much 
accustomed to this kind of duty, that they put the 
passengers on board without delay or inconvenience 
to them. There were six boat-loads, including the 
band of twelve pieces. The boats were hoisted 
up, and the anchor weighed by our steam windlass. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


141 


I had been introduced to all the excursionists as 
they came on board, and I had directed the waiters 
to show them to such parts of the vessel as they 
might select. When I went to the pilot-house, I 
found the seats all occupied by Owen and certain 
ladies he had invited there. As usual they were 
all the youngest and prettiest of the party. Corn- 
wood stood at the wheel, as though he had chosen 
the duty he intended to perform. I had not pro- 
cured a pilot, for I had been up and down the river 
five times, and I thought I knew enough about it 
to pilot the vessel myself. But I wished to test 
Corn wood’s ability, and I told him to go ahead, 
giving him no further instructions. 

He rang the bells correctly, and handled the 
wheel like an old salt. I was rather disappointed 
to find that he understood his business perfectly. 
His brag was not all brag. I had become consid- 
erably prejudiced against him by all that had been 
said ; but I felt that I could do him justice. The 
scenery below the city is very pleasant, to say the 
least. The orange groves, and the dwellings, many 
of them occupied by people from the North, either 
as settlers or as winter residents, made a pictu- 
resque view from the river. Cornwood did not seem 
to be wholly occupied with the wheel, for he ex- 


142 


down south; or, 


plained the nature of the country when he found 
that the party in the pilot-house were willing to 
listen to him. The herons, cranes, and many other 
birds were new to us. 

"Mayport on the starboard hand,” said the guide 
when we had reached the mouth of the river. " The 
houses in that village are mostly occupied by fisher- 
men, who catch shad and other fish in the winter 
and spring, and a good many southern people 
spend the summer here in cottages.” 

Cornwood directed the head of the steamer 
towards the other shore, and soon brought her to 
a pier at Pilot Town. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


143 


CHAPTER XIV. 


THE EXCURSION TO FORT GEORGE ISLAND. 



10RT GEORGE ISLAND is certainly a beau- 


X tiful place for a summer or a winter residence, 
or for both. It is three and a half miles long, not 
including the sand-bar at the end, and a mile wide. 
On one side is the ocean, and on the other the Sis- 
ters’ Channel, one of the inside passages by which 
steamers reach Savannah and Fernandina. 

Owen told me the party would sail for Jack- 
sonville at four o’clock, and dine as soon as the 
steamer was under way. All the excursionists 
landed, and leaving Washburn in charge, I went 
with them. Corn wood began to discharge his 
duties as guide as soon as we were on shore ; but 
a considerable portion of the party were familiar 
with the island, and he did not have a large audi- 
ence. 

" This shell road,” said he, as we left the wharf, 
" is the beginning of Edge wood Avenue, which is 
two miles and a half long. At the farther end of 
it is the hotel.” 


144 


DOWN south; or, 


He continued his explanations to those who de- 
sired to hear them during the entire walk. I shall 
not repeat them. I found that he could give the 
name of every tree, plant, and flower we saw on 
the way. He had a name for every bird, bug, and 
worm ; and I am ready to acknowledge that the 
extent, variety, and minuteness of his knowledge 
astonished me, partly because my prejudice led me 
to expect nothing of him. That those who brag 
most know least, did not appear to prove true in 
his case ; for he did not have to " give it up ” on 
any question asked him by the tourists of our 
party. He related the history of the island, and 
there was not a single particular concerning it on 
which he was not fully informed. 

After crossing the beach on the shell road, we 
came to the forest of live-oaks, magnolias, pal- 
mettos, bay-trees, and others that one never sees 
in Maine or Michigan. I walked with Mr. Tif- 
fany, and we agreed that this was one of the most 
delightful places we had visited. Pretty soon we 
were joined by Miss Margie and Miss Edith, who 
had become inseparable friends and companions. 
I learned that the Tiflanys had already accepted 
the invitation of Owen and Colonel Shepard to 
join the party for the up-river trip. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 145 

"Are there no snakes on this island, Captain 
Garningham ? ” asked Miss Margie, soon after we 
entered the wood. 

" I dare say there are ; but I don’t know any- 
thing about it,” I replied. 

"Undoubtedly there are snakes on the island,” 
interposed Mr. Cornwood ; and I saw that he 
glanced at me, with a smile, as if in allusion to 
my experience on the evening before. 

" I am very much afraid of snakes,” said Miss 
Margie, looking timidly about her. 

"But the snakes are more afraid of you than 
you are of them, Miss Tiffany,” replied Corn- 
wood. "Even the rattlesnake will keep out of 
your way, if he can.” 

"And I should surely keep out of his way. 
Are there rattlesnakes on this island ? ” asked the 
timid English maiden. 

" I am sorry to say there are ; but you might 
live on the island ten years and never see one. 
When you walk, you will naturally keep in the 
paths cut through the woods. Rattlesnakes will 
not visit these localities. But the rattlesnake is 
a very gentlemanly fellow ; and if by any chance 
one should stray into a path, he would give you 
abundant warning before he did you any harm.” 

10 


146 


DOWN south; or, 


"I don’t wish to see one,” replied Miss Margie, 
with a shudder. 

" You may be sure you will not meet any in the 
paths we take to-day,” added the guide in a com- 
forting tone. "But I would rather meet a dozen 
of them than step upon a copperhead or a water- 
moccasin. These will run away when they see 
you, if they can. The water-moccasin will not 
trouble you if you let him alone. The only dan- 
ger from any Florida snake is in coming upon him 
when you don’t see him.” 

" That is just what I am afraid of,” said Miss 
Margie. 

" This island has been settled so long that there 
can be but few snakes of the harmful kind left on it ; 
for whites and blacks always kill them at sight.” 

After a very pleasant walk we reached the hotel, 
where a lunch was ready for us. To me the prin- 
cipal feature of this lunch was the broiled shad, 
the fish just taken from the water. It was the 
freshest and best I had ever eaten. The oysters 
in the chowder were small, but had been taken 
from the water that morning. 

O 

After the lunch the excursionists broke up into 
little parties, and each went where they were best 
pleased to go. I felt rather inclined to go where 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 147 

Miss Margie went, for I had found she was as 
agreeable as she was pretty. Owen and the Shep- 
ards went to the Palmetto Avenue, which leads to 
an ancient homestead, affording a fair specimen of 
the planter’s home in days gone by. Mr. Tiffany 
and his daughter wished to ascend Mount Cor- 
nelia, to which there was a carriage-road all the 
way from the hotel to the summit. This hill has 
an elevation of ninety-five feet, the highest point 
on the coast from Navesink and Cuba. Mr. Corn- 
wood accompanied us, for, in spite of the warning 
Mr. Tiffany had given me, he was the guide’s most 
attentive listener. 

On the summit of the hill we found an observa- 
tory, which we occupied for a full hour. It com- 
manded a fine view of the ocean, the inland chan- 
nels, and the country beyond them. Before we 
left, Owen and the Shepards joined us. 

"Have you seen any snakes, Margie?” asked 
Edith, when they were seated at the top of the 
observatory. 

" I have not seen one ; indeed, I have not 

thought of the snakes since Mr. Cornwood assured 
© 

me we should see none,” replied Miss Margie. 

" I rather like snakes, and I hoped I should see 
some,” added Miss Edith, very bravely. 


148 


down south; or, 


" I think I could find some for you, Miss Edith,” 
interposed Corn wood. 

"No, I thank you. I don’t care to go snaking. 
When I see one I wish to have it without any 
effort on my part,” replied the beautiful girl. 

"That is a nice way to get out of it,” added 
Miss Margie. "I believe I should faint away if I 
came upon one, without any effort on my part.” 

" You will be likely to see some on your trip 
up the river, if you go on shore. The largest 
moccasin I ever saw I killed within the limits of 
the city of Jacksonville. It was on the way to 
Moncrief’s Spring. Are you fond of alligators?” 
asked Mr. Cornwood, who also seemed to regard 
the English girl with much favor. 

"I never saw one in my life,” answered Miss 
Margie. "We don’t have any such creatures in 
England. But I have seen pictures of the croco- 
dile, which I dare say is the same thing.” 

"They are certainly the same sort of reptile, 
though a crocodile is not an alligator any more 
than an alligator is a crocodile. They differ in the 
shape of the head ; the lower canine teeth of the 
crocodile fit into notches between the teeth of the 
upper jaw, while the alligator’s lower teeth fit into 
cavities in the upper jaw. The alligator has a 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


149 


broader and shorter head than the crocodile. The 
cayman, found in the East Indies and in tropical 
South America, is different in some respects from 
either. But we have both crocodiles and alligators 
in the more southern of the United States.” 

" I am sure I don’t care whether they are croco- 
diles or alligators ; they are ugly-looking beasts, 
and I don’t want to see any of them,” replied Miss 
Margie. 

Mr. Cornwood had evidently " studied up ” on 
alligators ; and I was quite interested in his com- 
parison of the different reptiles, for I had sup- 
posed they were all alike. 

"You can’t very well help seeing them when 
you go up the river, for some of the streams we 
shall doubtless explore are full of them,” added 
the Floridian. 

" Are you not afraid of them ? ” 

"I don’t think I ever saw anybody who was 
afraid of an alligator ; they are too common here 
to alarm any person. But I am surprised that 
you did not see any alligators in Jacksonville, for 
thousands of little ones are kept for sale at the 
curiosity stores, and larger ones are kept for exhi- 
bition.” 

" I didn’t happen to see any of them. Are they 
not dangerous ? ” 


150 


down south; or, 


"We do not consider them so. In the earlier 
days of the State, when alligators eighteen feet 
in length were occasionally found, they may have 
attacked men when they caught them in the water. 
On land they are rather sluggish; but they are 
right smart in the water. The largest ones we are 
likely to see will not be over twelve feet long; 
and you will find ten little ones to one of this 
size. None of them will meddle even with a 
child ; though if you should lie on the ed<*e of a 
boat, with a hand or foot in the water, and went 
to sleep, they might snap at it.” 

" Ugh ! ” gasped the pretty maiden, with a shud- 
der. 

" You will be so much accustomed to them in a 
week after we start up the river, that you will not 
mind them more than you do the flies, and not 
half so much as you do the mosquitoes,” added 
Mr. Cornwood. 

" Are there many mosquitoes where we are 
going, Mr. Cornwood?” asked Mr. Tiffany. 

" Not many at this season of the year, though 
we may fall into localities where they are very 
plenty. I shall take the liberty to suggest to Cap* 
tain Garningham to have a quantity of mosquito 
netting on board, to provide against these pests,” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 151 

replied the Floridian, glancing from the English- 
man to me. 

" I will tell the steward to see that the beds and 
berths are properly protected,’’ I added, glad to 
have the suggestion in season to save the passen- 
gers from annoyance. 

Owen and Miss Edith had not paid any atten- 
tion to Mr. Cornwood’s lessons in natural history. 
Both of them had evidently voted the Floridian a 
bore. My cousin thought it was time to return 
to the hotel, where the band was playing for the 
benefit of the people. 

All the party had collected there, and we soon 
started for the steamer. The band went ahead 
and played a march, and we kept step to the 
music. I found that Mr. Cornwood had again 
attached himself to Miss Margie, to the plain 
annoyance of that lady’s father. I called him 
away, and dropping to the rear of the procession, 
I questioned him in regard to the trip up the 
river. He clearly understood my object in asking 
these questions at this time, and his answers were 
crusty, and his manner sulky. I persisted in tor- 
turing him till we reached the steamer, though I 
sacrificed my own pleasure in doing it for Miss 
Margie’s benefit. 


152 


down south; or, 


It was just four by the clock in the pilot-house 
when the Syl vania sailed on her return. The din- 
ner was served in the cabin, and Gopher had done 
his best, as usual. At six Corn wood made a very 
good landing at the Market Wharf, and our guests 
departed immediately. I had to thank Washburn 
for doing one-half of the hand-shaking when they 
stepped ashore. Cornwood thought he would re- 
main in the city, but I told him I wanted him on 
board. The mate did not go to the anchorage in 
the steamer, but stayed ashore. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


153 


CHAPTER XV. 

A WAR OF WORDS. 

W ASHBURN had reported to me that, while 
I was dining with the passengers in the 
cabin, Griffin Leeds had gone into the pilot-house 
and had a short interview with Corn wood. Of 
course we used the octoroon as a waiter; and 
even Gopher took a hand at the same occupation, 
for he liked to hear what the party said about the 
dinner. Griffin must have taken the time while 
the waiters were clearing the tables for the last 
course, or while the gentlemen were amusing 
themselves with the American custom of making 
speeches. In either case, it was almost a sin for 
a waiter to leave his post. 

Corn wood was sulky when I said I wanted him. 
Doubtless he had business on shore, as I had for 
him on board. I paid him five dollars a day and 
expenses ; and I thought I had the best right to 
his services. 

" Mr. Cornwood, I desire to have you map out 


154 


down south; or, 


a practicable trip up the river for a steamer that 
draws nine feet of water, with her bunkers full of 
coal,” I began, as I seated myself in my room. 

The words were hardly out of my mouth when 
Hop Tossford came in with a message written on 
an old envelope, from Owen. 

" Come to the Colonel’s house at once. 

Owen.” 

" At once ” meant immediately ; and I was not 
a little annoyed by the summons, since it pre- 
vented me from carrying out my part of Wash- 
burn’s little plan. 

" I have the cruise all mapped out, Captain Gar- 
ningham,” replied Corn wood, while I was reading 
the message from my cousin. 

He took from his breast-pocket a document, 
which he handed to me with a stiff bow. On 
opening it, I found it was a carefully prepared 
outline of the proposed cruise up the river, with 
detours in various bays and smaller streams. 

" I will examine this at my leisure ; for I am 
called to the house of Colonel Shepard by Mr. 
Garningham,” I continued. " Very likely he de- 
sires to give me instructions in regard to the 
up-river trip. If he does, I wish to see you as 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


155 


soon as I return ; and I may not be gone more 
than an hour.” 

Cornwood made no reply ; but I saw that he 
was biting his lip. My request was equivalent to 
an order to remain on board, and he was not ex- 
actly in position to set my wishes at defiance. 1 
went ashore as soon as a boat could be dropped 
into the water, and hastened to the house of the 
Colonel. Owen said he was very glad to see me ; 
and from the excitement of his manner, I judged 
that something was in the wind. 

" To-morrow will be Saturday,” said he, walk- 
ing up and down the parlor where I had seated 
myself. "The same party we had to-day, in- 
cluding the Silver Cornet Band, will make a little 
run up the river, and stop for a while at Mrs. 
Mitchell’s place, if it is practicable, with a dinner 
at four o’clock.” 

" It is not practicable — ” 

" It is not practicable ! ” exclaimed Owen, stop- 
ping in front of me. 

" You did not hear me out, my dear charterer 
of the Syl vania,” I replied, amused at the sudden 
check put upon his enthusiasm. " It is not practi- 
cable to run the steamer up to the pier at Mrs. 
Mitchell’s place ; but we can land the passengers 


156 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


in the boats. Of course we can go up the river 
as far as Pilatka, and perhaps farther.” 

" We don’t want to go up to — what’s that place 
you mentioned ? I have heard of it before, and it 
is forty or fifty miles up,” added Owen, who had 
been too busy looking after Miss Edith to pay 
any attention to the geography of the State. 

" The place is Pilatka ; and it is seventy-five 
miles up.” 

"It would take all day to go to Pilatka; be- 
sides, I don’t wish to spoil all the fun of the trip 
we are to take next week. There’s a Chinese 
town or city, where Mrs. What’s-her-name lives, 
about a dozen miles up,” continued my cousin. 

" A Chinese town ? There are no Chinamen of 
any consequence in Florida.” 

"No, no ! A town with a Chinese name, where 
the lady that wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin lives,” 
interposed Owen impatiently. 

"Mandarin,” I added, after I had consulted a 
pamphlet guide I had picked up in one of the 
hotels. " It is fifteen miles from here.” 

" That’s the place ; and it is just the right dis- 
tance ! ” exclaimed Owen. " We will go to Man- 
darin. By the way, you must have a lunch on 
board about twelve.” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 157 

"All this is quite practicable.” 

" And why can’t you take the steamer up to the 
pier at Mrs. Mitchell’s place?” demanded my pas- 
senger. 

" Because the bottom is too near the top of the 
water,” I replied, laughing at the puzzled expres- 
sion on my cousin’s face. 

" Couldn’t you have the bottom put farther 
down for this occasion?” he inquired very seri- 
ously. 

" Certainly, if you are willing to pay the bills 
and to wait long enough for the work to be done.’’ 

"I don’t object to the bills, but we can’t wait.” 

" I see that you have become quite an American 
traveller; you don’t dispute any bills, and you 
can’t wait.” 

" I can’t wait to have a channel dredged out up 
to that pier, for very likely it would take all day 
to do it.” 

" It would take you Britishers three months to 
do it ; Americans would do it in a week.” 

" I think my uncle, your father, is a Britisher. 
But I have no time to quarrel with you about that 
matter now; it will keep. We will be landed at 
the pier in boats, since you are not willing to 
accommodate us in any other manner.” 


158 


down south; or, 


" I will arrange the landing so that it shall be 
satisfactory,” I added, thinking of a large barge I 
had seen at the boat- wharf. 

" Then we are all right for to-morrow, are we, 
Alick?” asked my facetious cousin. 

"All right. Whenever you tell me what you 
want, it shall be done.” 

"But just now you objected to taking your 
steamer up to that pier.” 

" I should have qualified the declaration — ” 

" Merciful Hotandsplosh ! ” 

" Is that man your idol ? ” 

"You take my breath away with your stunning 
long words ! ” 

"I won’t take your breath away, for you will 
want it all. I will do all you want when I can,” 
I added. 

" How much prettier that sounds than ' qualified 
the declaration.’ ” 

" I see that I must write out all my speeches in 
words of not more than four letters, so as to bring 
them down to the dull brain of a Briton.” 

" The dull brain of a Briton is good.” 

" So your friend Hotandsplosh would say.” 

"I will introduce him to you some time.” 

" I don’t want to know him ; he is too slow for 

\ 


me. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 159 

” Come, come, Alick ; we are quarrelling when 
we have business to do,” said Owen, shaking his 
shoulders like a vexed child. 

"You are quarrelling; I am not. You pick me 
up on my language as though you were my school- 
master, and then complain that I am impeding the 
business of the conference.” 

" Cut it short ! ' Impeding the business of the 

conference ! ’ That jaw of yours will need to be 
patched up by a dentist, man ! 9 

" Your jaw does all the mischief ; and you a ire 
at it again, with your pedagogical — ” 

" Cut it short ! What a word ! A young man 
of high aims ought not to use such a word ; and 
anybody else ought to be hung for it ! ” 

" Still at it ! ” 

" I wish to say something about the run up the 
river,” continued Owen, who was very fond of 
criticising my language, and would even neglect 
important business to do it. 

" Say it, then.” 

" Where do we go ? ” 

"Wherever you say.” 

" Merciful Hotandsplosh ! Am I to study up 
the geography of this State, so as to tell you 
where to go?” demanded my passenger. 

"I will select a route, in consultation — ” 


160 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


" Oh dear ! ” gasped Owen, throwing himself at 
full length on a sofa, with his legs hanging over 
one end of it, as though he were in utter despair. 

" I will talk with K-u-r-n-e-1, Colonel, S-h-e-p- 
a-r-d, Shepard, a-bout the r-o-u-t-e, route.” 

" Good ! Shove it off on the Colonel ! ” ex- 
claimed Owen. " I know what you say now ; and 
I feel better.” 

"Perhaps you would like to know where it is 
possible for us to go,” I continued, taking Corn- 
wood’s paper from my pocket as Owen sprang to 
his feet. "Here are some suggestions in regard 
to where we may go ; it was made up by our 
guide ; ” and I handed him the paper, which he 
opened to the fold of the sheet, and turned it over 
and over. 

" Merciful Grand Panjandrum ! ” 

" Another friend of yours ! ” 

" I got him out of an American book ; and that 
accounts for it ! Am I to read all this ? Tempus 
fugit. Let it fugit! I should have to be buried 
in the blue sands of Florida if I read all this ; ” 
and he turned it over several times more. 

"You would have to be buried in thought for a 
short time if you read it.” 

" Let me see, what did you call what’s in this 




YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 161 

paper? Suggestions, was it? If these are only 
suggestions, what must the real thing be ! No, 
no, Alick ! Go where you please ; but don’t ask 
me to read that paper. Only give us some shoot- 
ing and fishing. Don’t bother me with any more 
suggestions.” 

" You sent for me, and I came.” 

"I know you did. You are a young lamb, 
Alick. Now go and put it to the Colonel and 
Tiffany.” 

Presently Colonel Shepard’s party came into the 
parlor. They had just arrived at the house, for 
they had stopped to see some alligators, and to 
buy Gulf beans and alligator’s teeth, ornamented, 
for watch-charms and other wear. Miss Margie 
had seen an alligator six feet long, and thought he 
was very terrible. The baby reptiles she consid- 
ered " very cunning little pets.” 

I proceeded at once to talk with Colonel Shep- 
ard about the up-river trip. He looked the paper 
over, but he and Mr. Tiffany were almost as much 
perplexed over it as Owen had been. 

"We must go up the St. Johns to Enterprise, 
at least, and up the Ocklawaha to Lake Griffin,” 
said the Colonel. 

" But the Sylvania draws too much water to go 

11 


162 


DOWN south; oh, 


far beyond Pilatka. After we get the anthracite 
coal out of the bunkers we shall carry up eight 
feet,” I replied. 

c ' Carry up eight feet ! You have only two to 
carry, and an alligator may bite off one of them,” 
shouted Owen, who it seemed had been listening 
to me, instead of giving attention to Miss Edith’s 
charms, about which she was talking. 

" Give heed to my charms, Mr. Garningham ! ” 
said Miss Edith. 

" That’s just what I have done since I first saw 
you ! ” exclaimed Owen. 

I promised to consult the Floridian, and took 
my leave. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 163 


CHAPTER XVI. 

GRIFFIN LEEDS AT A DISCOUNT. 

I DID not expect that Mr. Cornwood would come 
on shore after what had passed between him and 
me, and I did not hurry on board when I left the 
house of Colonel Shepard. I passed from St. 
James Square down Laura Street, into Forsyth, on 
which the St. Johns House was situated. I passed 
the house several times, looking for Washburn, for 
I desired to know what success he had had in look- 
ing up Mr. Cobbington. I saw nothing of the 
mate, and I went into Bay Street, only a square 
from Forsyth. 

I looked in every direction for Washburn, but I 
could not find him, and I was obliged to give up 
the search. I found my boat’s crew on the wharf, 
watching some negroes opening oysters. It was 
done in a very clumsy manner, compared with the 
work of a Providence opener I had seen in New 
York ; and my men were not at all satisfied with 
the manner it was done, though they had no 
interest in the job. 


164 


DOWN south; or, 


" Have you seen Mr. Washburn, Ben? ” I asked, 
as we walked down the wharf. 

"Yes, sir; we put him on board half an hour 
ago,” replied the assistant engineer, who preferred 
to pull a boat rather than be idle. 

" That was why I could not find him in the streets 
of Jacksonville,” I added. " Has any one come oflf 
from the steamer since I came ashore ? ” 

"No, sir, not a soul,” answered Ben, decidedly. 

I was glad to hear this, for it assured me that 
Cornwood had not left the steamer. The Sylvania 
was anchored on the other side of the main channel, 
which was near the line of wharves, but not more 
than a quarter of a mile distant. In a few minutes 
I was on board. The mate was at supper ; and as 
I had dined within a couple of hours, I did not 
disturb him. I went to the steward, and gave him 
directions in regard to the lunch and dinner for 
the next day. Cornwood was smoking his cigar 
on the forecastle. I took the precaution to tell 
him that I wanted to see him in about half an hour 
or less, that he might not come into my room while 
I was engaged with Washburn. 

I had done some thinking over the matter of 
eavesdroppers on board. I came to the conclu- 
sion that I would have nothing of the kind on 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


165 


board. I had entire confidence in the two engb 
neers, one of whom was the son of my guardian in 
Montomercy, and the other had sailed Avith me 
since the Sylvania had come into my possession. 
Moses Brickland, the chief, was lying on a sofa in 
the engine-room. I called Ben, and told them both 
enough to enable them to understand the situation, 
and that some of the later additions to our ship’s 
company might be eavesdroppers. I asked them 
to keep an eye on the open windows of my state- 
room, and let me know if there were any skulking 
or loitering near them. Moses seated himself at 
one door of the engine-room, and Ben at the other. 
They were on deck, next to the rail, where they 
could see the windows of my room. There was a 
skylight in the hurricane-deck overhead, Avhich Avas 
always open in this climate AA T hen it did not rain. 
I said nothing about this opening, because I could 
hear any person’s footsteps on the deck over me. 

Washburn came on deck soon after I had made 
this little arrangement. We went into our room 
by mutual consent, for one had something to say, 
and the other Avanted to hear it. I explained to 
him what I had done to trap any listener aaIio 
might Avant to knoAV AA T hat Ave said. He replied 
that he had thought of doing something of the kind 


166 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


himself; but he did not care to throw suspicion 
even upon Griffin Leeds by telling others the true 
story. 

"Well, Washburn, did you find your man?” I 
asked. 

" I am sorry to say I did not,” he replied. " But 
I found where he boarded ; and was told he was 
out, and would not return before nine or ten in the 
evening. I shall try again early in the morning, 
before he goes out for the day, for he takes only 
his breakfast at the house where he lodges.” 

"Where does he lodge?” I inquired. 

Washburn gave me the street and number. It 
was not in the best part of the city by any means ; 
and the mate inferred that he was not connected 
with the "first families.” But he was none the 
worse for this. His landlord knew nothing about 
him, and had made him pay a week’s board in 
advance. 

We continued to talk about Cobbington for some 
time ; but we were none the wiser when we o-ot 
through than when we began. Suddenly we heard 
a tremendous scuffling overhead. It sounded as 
though two men or more were engaged in a severe 
conflict. After the first onslaught was over, the 
voices of two angry men were heard ; and one of 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 167 

them was that of Ben Bowman. Both Washburn 
and I rushed out of the state-room, he at one door, 
and I at the other. 

When we were able to see the combatants, they 
were found to be Ben Bowman and Griffin Leeds. 
Ben had by this time proved that he was the more 
powerful and efficient of the two, for the octoroon 
had been pinned, as it were, to the deck, so that 
he was unable to do anything but kick. The as- 
sistant engineer had him by the throat, and the 
listener’s attempts to speak resulted in nothing but 
a hoarse, choking sound, which it was painful to 
hear. Griffin’s strength was rapidly failing him 
under the severe treatment of the engineer. 

In another minute, all hands were climbing the 
ladder to the hurricane-deck. I noticed that Corn- 
wood came up from the forecastle over the top of 
the pilot-house, which I had forbidden any one on 
board to do, at the beginning of the voyage, to 
prevent injury to the paint. I concluded that 
Griffin had come up in the same way. The occa- 
sion of the strife was plain enough to me as soon 
as I discovered who were engaged in it. I felt a 
little cheap after all the precautions I had taken to 
prevent being overheard. 

"Let him up, Ben,” I said, when I thought ha 
had done enough. 


168 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


The engineer at once relinquished his hold on 
the octoroon, and stood up. But Griffin did not 
appear to be able to get up yet. Both of the men 
were gasping for breath, and neither of them was 
able to speak for some minutes. As the waiter 
lay on the deck, I noticed that he wore no shoes, 
though he had on a pair of woollen socks. I looked 
about for his shoes. I had not seen Griffin before 
since I came on board. 

"It is plain enough what this affiiir means,” I 
said to the mate, while we were waiting for Ben to 
get his breath, and to be able to explain what the 
occasion of the conflict was. 

" It don’t need a very long-headed man to ex- 
plain it,” replied the mate. " Griffin has been at 
the old trick again.” 

" What is the old trick, Mr. Mate ? ” demanded 
Corn wood, rather offensively. 

" If you are a sailor, you will call me by my 
name,” replied Washburn, with dignity. 

"Excuse me, Mr. Washburn; but I am some- 
what interested in one of the parties to this row,” 
added Corn wood, as he glanced at me. "I meant 
no offence, but I was a little excited by the circum- 
stances. I brought this man on board, and I am 
anxious to have him do his duty faithfully,” 



Griffin Leeds at a Discount. Page 167 





































I 






























YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


169 


answered Cornwood, with what seemed to me to 
be affected humility, for his eye still flashed, and 
he was evidently struggling to be calm. "Will 
you be kind enough to tell me, Mr. Washburn, 
what the old trick was ? ” 

" Eavesdropping ; listening to conversation not 
intended for him, which was going on in the cap- 
tain’s room,” replied the mate, rather warmly. 

" It is very strange to me, for I have known the 
boy for years, and I never heard any of his em- 
ployers find fault with him before,” added Corn- 
wood. " I don’t believe there is a better behaved 
boy in the State than Griffin Leeds. Excuse me 
for saying so much, which I should not have said 
if I had not brought the boy on board and recom- 
mended him to you.” 

I had no fault to find with his statement, as long 
as it was respectful. By this time Ben had got his 
wind again, and appeared to be ready to explain 
the reason for the conflict which had created such 
a sensation on board. All hands were on deck, 
gathered around the combatants. I was satisfied 
from the beginning that Ben had not begun the 
fight, for this was the first time I had ever known 
him to resort to violence, except when he had been 
ordered to do so by the mate in two instances, 


170 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


both of them being the expulsion from the vessel 
of Captain Boomsby. 

"Well, how was it, Mr. Bowman?” I asked, 
calling him by his last name with a handle to it, as 
I always did in the presence of the ship’s company. 

"A few minutes before I came upon the hurri- 
cane-deck, sir, I thought there was something like 
motion forward of the foremast. I stood up, but 
I could not see anything or anybody. But I could 
not get it out of my head that something was going 
on there. I spoke to Mr. Brickland about it, and 
he told me to go up and see what it was.” 

" Where was Mr. Brickland at that time ? ” de- 
manded Cornwood. 

"Mr. Bowman is answering my question, Mr. 
Cornwood, and you will not interfere,” I inter- 
posed, for the Floridian appeared to have taken 
upon himself the duty of counsel for the octoroon. 

" I beg your pardon, captain,” replied Cornwood 
with a deferential bow. 

"I went to the ladder on the starboard side, and 
mounted to this deck. As soon as I got up here, 
I saw Griffin lying flat on his face, with his right 
ear at the opening under the sash of the skylight. 
1 slipped off my shoes, and crept as lightly as I 
Could to the place where Griffin lay. I had no idea 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 171 

of attacking him, and only intended to see what he 
was doing there. As soon as I was satisfied that 
he was listening to the conversation between you 
and Mr. Washburn, which I could hear, though I 
could not tell what you said, I just touched him on 
the shoulder. I meant to beckon him to come 
away from the skylight, but he did not give me 
time to do that. He sprang to his feet, and we 
all know he is a spry fellow, and pitched into me 
as though I had tried to murder him.” 

" You lie ! ” yelled the octoroon, with a savage 
oath. " You did try to murder me ! ” 

Griffin leaped from his recumbent position, and, 
foaming with rage, drew a bowie-knife from his 
pocket, the long blade of which he threw open 
with a jerk of his hand. With the knife gleaming 
in the air, he rushed upon Ben Bowman. He 
would surely have plunged the blade into his in- 
tended victim, if Buck Lingley had not darted 
upon him as soon as he saw the knife. The deck- 
hand was the stoutest person on board, and he bore 
the octoroon to the deck in an instant, and wrenched 
the knife from his grasp. 

" Hold on to him a moment, Buck ! ” I called to 
him. "Get some line, and tie him hand and foot !” 
Hop Tossford sprang to obey my order. He 


172 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


seized the end of a heave-line, and while Buck drew 
the arms of the waiter behind him, he secured them 
in this position with the assistance of the mate. 
This line was only for temporary use ; and Hop 
soon brought a handful of pieces of whale-line 
from the store-room, and the prisoner was care- 
fully secured. The octoroon struggled to escape, 
but the mate and Buck held him tight. 

"Drop the starboard boat into the water,” I 
continued. " Mr. Washburn, you will deliver him 
to the police of the city.” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


173 


CHAPTER XVII. 

POOR GRIFF AND HIS COUNSEL. 

S URELY, Captain Garningham, you cannot 
mean to hand the man over to the police 
for getting into a common brawl,” said Cornwood, 
when I had given my order. 

"We don’t allow brawls on board this steamer. 
This is the first one that ever occurred on the 
decks of this vessel,” I replied, debating in my 
own mind whether or not I should discharge the 
Floridian, who seemed to be the real culprit, 
though of course I could not prove that he was 
the octoroon’s principal in the business of eaves- 
dropping. 

"But this was simply a misunderstanding be- 
tween the men ; and both of them will be as good 
friends as ever before morning,” pleaded Corn- 
wood. "Mr. Bowman intended to do the boy 
no harm when he seized hold of him ; and poor 
Griff thought he intended to kill him.” 

" That’s just what I thought,” replied the octo- 
roon, who had entirely cooled off. 


174 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


"But I didn’t seize hold of him, as the gentle- 
man says,” interposed Ben Bowman. " I did not 
lay the weight of one hand on him ; I only just 
touched him, as I said before ; and I don’t want 
anybody to say I seized hold of him. I didn’t do 
anything of the sort.” 

"I lay down there and went to sleep, for I 
have had to work hard to-day. I lay in a hard 
position, and I suppose it was that which made 
me dream that somebody had struck me on the 
head, and was trying to murder me,” Griffin ex- 
plained, in the most humble tones. "I woke, 
and seeing a man bending over me, I thought the 
dream was a reality.” 

"Were you dreaming when you drew the knife, 
at least five minutes after you were pinned to the 
deck by Mr. Bowman?” I asked, sternly. "Your 
story is too thin.” 

"I was mad, crazy with excitement; I didn’t 
know what I was doing,” pleaded "poor Griff.” 
" Don’t give me over to the police ! I never was 
before a court for anything in all my life ! For- 
give me this time, dear Captain ! ” 

I was afraid I might do so if he talked to me 
long in this strain. 

" Take him down to the boat ! Obey your 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 175 

order, Mr. Washburn ! ” I said, with energy. 
"Take the knife with you, and deliver it to the 
police.” 

"Captain Garningham, I beg you to consider 
that you are doing a very great injustice to this 
boy, who, I am certain, intended no harm to any- 
body,” interposed Cornwood again. 

" I don’t believe in the harmless intentions of a 
man who can draw a bowie-knife on another,” I 
replied ; and I had no more doubt of the octo- 
roon’s guilt than I had of my own existence. 

" I am very sorry indeed that you should take 
so serious a view of what has proved a harmless 
affray,” added Cornwood. "If you deliver him 
over to the police, which, as the captain of the 
vessel, you have a right to do, I suppose his case 
will be called to-morrow forenoon. I must ask 
leave of absence to act as his counsel.” 

I supposed this was said to remind me of the 
excursion of the next day, the news of which had 
been circulated from the steward’s department. 
But the excursion made no difference to me ; I 
felt that I had a duty to perform, and I was re- 
solved to perform it, even if the excursion had to 
be postponed to another day. Griffin Leeds was 
carried into the boat, and the mate departed for 
the city with him. 


176 


DOWN SOUTH; OK, 


" Now, Mr. Cornwood, I should like to see you 
in regard to the up-river trip,” I said, as soon 
as the boat had left the steamer. "We leave on 
Monday.” 

" If this affair which has just occurred will per- 
mit us to do so,” added the Floridian, rather 
stiffly. 

"That need not detain us a single day,” I re- 
plied, decidedly. "We have twice as many hands 
as we need for this river navigation ; and we can 
spare all that may be needed as witnesses.” 

"But I have to remain to defend poor Griff, 
who, I am persuaded, is a victim of circum- 
stances,” said Cornwood, who evidently intended 
to make it plain I was to reap the bitter fruits of 
my folly in the dissatisfaction of my passengers, 
as they might not be inclined to stay after they 
had made up their minds to go. 

" Then I shall be obliged to make the trip with 
a river pilot,” I added promptly, for I did not 
intend that the Floridian should get ahead of me 
in this business. 

The guide bit his lips, as though he did not 
quite like the situation. He knew enough of 
Owen Garningham to understand that, after he 
had made up his mind to start on the up-river trip 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


177 


on Monday, he would be determined to go in the 
face of all obstacles. 

" I can hardly desert the poor fellow in his 
trouble,” sighed Mr. Comwood. 

" That is a question you must decide for your- 
self,” I replied, with as much indifference as I 
could assume. " It seems to me you make a 
light matter of a serious assault, and your sym- 
pathy is all with the man who committed it. You 
call him 'poor Griff,’ as though he were a perse- 
cuted victim, instead of one who had raised his 
hand with a knife in it against one of the ship’s 
company.” 

" I have a great regard for that boy, for he 
saved my life once when I fell overboard and was 
injured so that I could not swim, and there were 
three large sharks near the vessel. I should be 
inhuman to desert him, even if he were as guilty 
as you seem to think he is,” continued the guide 
but I was inclined to believe that his explanation 
was more than half an invention. 

" In what court will this man be brought up ? ” 
I asked. 

"He will be brought before the mayor, as 
magistrate ; and if he considers it a simple as- 
sault, he will fine the boy, or send him to prison ; 

12 


178 


DOWN south; or, 


if an assault with intent to kill, he will bind him 
over to a higher court for trial.” 

" In either case, the matter is likely to be dis- 
posed of in season for the excursion to-morrow 
forenoon. If he is bound over, we can appear, 
such of us as are required as witnesses, at the 
proper time,” I replied, as off-hand as though I 
had been a lawyer all my days. "Now we will 
leave that question, and turn to others of more 
importance.” 

" It may be a matter of light importance to have 
the boy sent off to work with a prison-gang for 
two or three years, but I don’t so regard it,” 
growled Corn wood. 

" When a man draws a knife on another, he 
needs the attention of the courts. You seem to 
be so accustomed to that sort of thing that you 
mind nothing about it. Where I come from we 
don’t use knives with that sort of freedom.” 

"If it were not clearly a misunderstanding on 
the part of poor Griff, I wouldn’t say anything 
more about it.” 

" It was no misunderstanding when Griffin leaped 
to his feet, at least five minutes after the struggle 
with the engineer, and rushed upon him with a 
knife. But we will say nothing more about it, 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 179 

anyhow. Colonel Shepard says the party wish to 
go up the river as far as Sanford and Enterprise, 
and up the Ocklawaha to Lake Griffin.” 

"As it seems to be very uncertain whether I 
go with you or not, I prefer to say nothing about 
the trip for the present,” replied the Floridian, 
sulkily. 

"Very well; then you will consider your en- 
gagement at an end,” I added, without an instant’s 
hesitation ; and already I began to feel some relief 
at the idea of getting rid of a suspicious person. 

My sudden decision did not seem to suit the 
guide any better than my position in regard to 
Griffin Leeds. I had risen from my chair at the 
desk, as though the business was finished, when I 
gave my decision ; and by this time he could be- 
lieve that I meant all I said. 

" There will be time enough to settle this business 
after the court has met to-morrow morning,” said 
he, with an evident intention of " backingdown.” 

" But my passengers wish to know at once what 
the plan is, and I desire to procure a pilot for the 
excursion to-morrow,” I replied. 

" I will go with you on the excursion, whether I 
go up the river or not.” 

" No, you will not. I have no time to fool 


180 


down south; or, 


with you. I shall engage a pilot to-night for the 
up-river trip, if you cannot go with me,” I added, 
indignantly. 

" I think I can go with you ; in other words, I 
will go with you. It is not possible to go up the 
Ocklawaha in this steamer,” said Corn wood, sud- 
denly changing front, somewhat to my regret. 
" The masts and yards would be carried away by 
the trees that overhang Ihe stream, and she draws 
too much water for the Ocklawaha or the upper 
St. Johns.” 

"That matter is settled, then, and I will re- 
port to Colonel Shepard. Will you explain to 
me where we can go in this steamer.” 

The guide became as communicative as ever in 
a little while, and seemed to have forgotten the 
little difference which had threatened a serious 
rupture in our relations. He was as pleasant as 
though no cloud had passed between us. We dis- 
cussed the up-river trip, and I made memoranda 
of what he said till ten o’clock, when we retired. 
If what he said about his obligations to Griffin 
Leeds was true, I could not blame him for wish- 
ing to stand by the waiter. But a fair statement 
of his relations, without any of the bullying he had 
attempted, would have accomplished his wishes 
better. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 181 

When I turned out in the morning, I found the 
mate had gone ashore. At half-past eight, as re- 
quested by the chief of police through Washburn, 
Ben Bowman and I went on shore to attend the 
mayor’s court. I had started in season to call 
on Colonel Shepard, to whom I related all the 
events of the preceding evening, including my 
interview with the Floridian. The Colonel de- 
cided to ask his friend, Colonel Ives, a lawyer 
of influence, and a Floridian, to attend court 
with me. 

Washburn was on hand in season, and the 
mayor listened to the testimony. Corn wood had 
his opportunity to badger the witnesses, and he 
made the most of it. The magistrate, in spite 
of the eloquence of the counsel for the defence, 
chose to regard the offence as a serious assault, 
and bound the prisoner over for his appearance 
at a higher court, three weeks hence. This was 
about the time we expected to be absent up the 
river, and I saw that the Colonel’s friend had 
managed the case well without saying a word out 
loud. Cornwood found bail for the culprit, and 
he was released. 

" I suppose he can return to his duties on board 
of the steamer,” said the waiter’s counsel. 


182 


DOWN south; or, 


"No, sir ; I would not tolerate such a man on 
board any more than I would a rattlesnake,” I 
replied. 

I paid him his wages, and something more, on 
the spot ; and when he left the court, his look and 
his manner indicated that he was more intent upon 
revenge than anything else. It was quarter of ten 
when the case was thus settled for the present, 
and we hastened to the wharf, and on board. I 
had engaged a large barge at the boat-wharf to 
put the passengers on board, and they were all 
taken off at one load. 

We had the anchor up by the time they were 
alongside, and it was only a few minutes after ten 
when I rang the bell to go ahead. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


183 


CHAPTER XYIH. 

THE EXCURSION TO MANDARIN. 

T HE band struck up a lively air as the boat 
started ; and nothing could be more exhilarat- 
ing than the strains of the music, in the soft sun- 
shine and mild, sweet air of that semi-tropical 
region. It was March ; but the air was like sum- 
mer. As soon as we had passed the first bend, 
the St. Johns appeared more like a far-reaching 
lake than a stream. The river is from one to six 
miles wide below Pilatka. The shores are never 
elevated, for there is not a bluff upon it that is 
more than thirty feet high, while generally the land 
is only a few feet above the level of the water. 
The highest elevation near the river hardly exceeds 
sixty feet. 

The country is almost wholly covered with 
woods, as seen from the river. With the excep- 
tion of a few villages, hardly a house can be seen 
from the passing steamer. One seems to be nearly 
alone with nature while voyaging on this broad 


184 


down south; or, 


tide. The trees are pines and magnolias, and now 
and then one sees a patch covered with jasmine, 
the vine of which climbs the trees and shrubs, and 
blossoms there. There are plenty of flowers, even 
in the early spring. Compared with Maine or 
Michigan, where I had spent most, of my life, it 
was fairy-land in March. 

"What are you doing here, Corn wood?” asked 
Colonel Ives, as he entered the pilot-house, soon 
after we were under way. 

The party was somewhat larger than it had been 
the day before, and both the Mayor and Colonel 
Ives, with their families, were on board. 

" I am the pilot of this steamer for the present,” 
replied Cornwood ; and I thought he felt a little 
"cut” by the question. 

" Isn’t this a little derogatory to the profession ? ” 
laughed the Colonel. 

"I don’t practise at the bar much, as you are 
aware : my health does not admit of the confine- 
ment,” the pilot explained. 

" That is often the case with practitioners who 
don’t have much to do in their profession.” 

" I have always had all I could do at the bar ; 
but the open air and an active life agree best 
with me.” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


185 


"It does with everybody who is short of cases.” 

" But he is a good pilot down the river, and I 
have no doubt he is just as good up the river, 
Colonel Ives,” I interposed. " His knowledge of 
has native State surprises us all.” 

"I was only bantering him, captain,” replied the 
passenger. " I think he is a very good lawyer too, 
though he did not have a good case this morning.” 

" When it comes to trial, I will show you that it 
is a better case than you think it is,” replied Corn- 
wood, with more spirit than he had before exhib- 
ited. " ' Prisoners hang that hungry jurymen may 
dine,’ and you and the Mayor were in a hurry to 
finish the case, so that you could join this excur- 
sion.” 

"I was not in the case,” added the Colonel. 

" But you prompted the magistrate to end it as 
soon as possible.” 

"What was the use of talking all day over a 
matter that was as plain as day ? The rascal would 
have killed the engineer, if the deck-hands hadn’t 
interfered,” replied Colonel Ives. " The case might 
have been finished in ten minutes, as well as in 
three-quarters of an hour.” 

I was willing the lawyers should fight it out 
between themselves, and I left the pilot-house, 


186 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


which Owen and his ladies had not yet invaded. 
I saw Washburn on the top-gallant forecastle, look, 
ing at the scenery of the river, and I joined him in 
this retired place. I had not yet had an opportu- 
nity to ask him if he had found Cobbington, and I 
went to the forecastle for this purpose. 

"I found him,” replied the mate, in a disgusted 
tone. " But I might as well not have found him.” 

" Why so ? ” I inquired, rather amused by the 
manner of my friend. 

" Since I came on board, I have found out some- 
thing more than I knew before. Last evening, 
while you were ashore, Corn wood called a boat 
that was passing, and sent a letter ashore by the 
boatman,” continued Washburn, as much dissatis- 
fied as though he had been personally injured. " Of 
course that note went to Captain Boomsby.” 

" How do you know Cornwood sent a letter on 
shore last night ? ” 

" Buck,” called the mate to the deck-hand who 
was on duty forward. 

" On deck, sir,” replied Buck, touching his cap 
to the mate. 

"You told me this morning, when you set me 
ashore, that the pilot sent a letter to the city last 
night by a boat he hailed.” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 187 

" ^es, sir; three or four of us were on deck at 
the time, if there is any doubt about it,” replied 
the deck-hand. 

" JNo doubt at all about it. Did you notice the 
boatman that took the letter ? ” 

"It was a blacky I have seen a dozen times 
about the steamer and on the wharf, looking for 
jobs for that boat-yard,” replied Buck. " He was 
in the barge that brought off the passengers to-day.” 

"All right, Buck;” and the deck-hand retired. 
"After I heard about this letter, I didn’t expect 
anything of Cobbington, if I found him.” 

" Did you find him ? ” 

" I did ; he was not out of his bed when I called 
for him. He told me he had two water moccasins, 
and one of them had got away while he had a room 
at Captain Boomsby’s. He did not know what 
became of him. He had looked all about the 
house without being able to find him.” 

" Did he tell you what became of the other ? ” 

" I asked him that question, and he told me he 
had him still. I asked him to let me see him, but 
he refused in spite of all I could say to induce him 
to show him. He said the snake was nailed up in 
a box, with only some holes bored in it to admit 
the air ; and he could not show the snake without 


188 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


taking* off the cover of the box. The moccasin 
was a dangerous fellow, and he didn’t want to run 
any risks with him. He had left his last boarding- 
place because they killed a rattlesnake belonging 
to him. I asked him to show me the box, but he 
wouldn’t even do that, and said it was all nonsense 
to show the box.” 

" You made up your mind that he had no moc- 
casin?” I added. 

"No more than I had. On my way down from 
the house I met his landlord, coming home from 
the market. He asked me if I had found Cob- 
bington. I told him I had, and then informed him 
his lodger kept a live moccasin snake in his room. 
He was greatly astonished at what I told him, and 
declared that he wouldn’t have a moccasin in his 
house for all the money there was in Jacksonville ; 
the snake might get loose, and bite his wife or one 
of his children. He intimated that he should 
hasten home and turn Cobbington out of his house : 
he would not have any man under his roof who 
would endanger the lives of his wife and children.” 

"That was bad for Cobbington,” I replied, witl? 
a smile. 

" I told the landlord what his lodger said, that 
he had the moccasin nailed up in a box. He didn’t 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


189 


care how he kept him : he would not have such a 
fellow about his house. I added that I did not 
believe Cobbington had any such snake in his 
room, though he insisted that he had. Then he 
either had a moccasin, or he lied about it, and in 
either case he didn’t want the fellow in his house. 
I came to the conclusion that the landlord wanted 
to turn out his lodger, and only wished for a reason- 
able excuse for getting rid of him. I left him ; 
and I suppose Cobbington has been turned out by 
this time. I shouldn’t want a poisonous snake in 
my house.” 

" Nor a man who would lie without a reasonable 
excuse,” I added. 

The steamer went along at her usual speed. I 
returned to the pilot-house, where by this time 
Owen had installed all the young ladies he could 
get into it. They were all full of fun and jollity, 
and were enjoying the excursion to the utmost. 
As it seemed to me that they ought to do so, I 
found no occasion to complain. I could not help 
suspecting that the pilot might be guilty of some 
treachery, after the events of the morning, and I 
deemed it advisable to have a close watch upon 
him. But he kept the steamer in the middle of 
the river, where I had been informed there were 


190 


down south; or, 


no shoals ; and certainly no rocks, for not one 
could be found in this part of the state, even big 
enough to stone a stray dog. 

" Mulberry Grove on the right,” said Corn wood, 
who did not neglect his duties as guide, while he 
attended to those of pilot. 

We could see little besides a long pier, though 
there was a glimpse to be obtained of a house 
through the vista of trees. 

Twenty minutes later we ran up to the pier at 
Mandarin, where the pilot made as handsome a 
landing as I ever saw in my life. It was half-past 
eleven when we had secured the steamer to the 
wharf. The band played some popular airs, and 
in a few minutes I judged that we had the entire 
population of the village on the wharf. It was a 
lively time for Mandarin, which is a remarkably 
quiet place. I believe I saw something like a store 
there, though I am not quite sure. About all the 
houses are on the bank of the river, and were 
reached by a long, narrow foot-bridge, built over 
the lagoon. From the main bridge, cross bridges 
extended to each house. 

At twelve the lunch was ready, and the excur- 
sionists went down into the cabin to attend to it, 
while the band on the hurricane-deck continued to 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 191 

play. An oyster chowder and baked shad were 
the principal substantial of the lunch ; and while 
they were served, Gopher was the greatest man on 
board. As soon as the lunch was disposed of, and 
the cook had been sufficiently complimented, the 
party went on shore. Cornwood led the way over 
the long foot-bridge. 

" There is an alligator in the wild state,” I said 
to Miss Margie, as I was walking with her and her 
father. 

"I don’t see anything,” she replied. 

" Don’t you see that splashing in the water, with 
something black in the midst of it? That is an 
alligator, the first one I ever saw,” I added. 

It looked like a stick of wood. A little farther 
along we saw one on a log. He was not more than 
three feet long. He attracted the attention of the 
party, who had never seen one in his native element 
before ; but we expected to see larger ones in the 
course of a week or two. Mrs. Stowe’s cottage 
was one of the first we came to. It was a one- 
story, wooden house, with no pretensions to ele- 
gance. An immense live-oak grew near it, and 
covered the cottage with its branches. Around it 
was an orange grove, on the trees of which many 
oranges still remained. The distinguished lady 
was not at home, and we did not see her. 


192 


DOWN south; or, 


We walked to the end of the bridge, looking at 
the pretty dwellings on the shore, and then went 
upon the land, where we had quite a ramble. But 
an hour enabled us to see all there was of the place, 
and we embarked for the return. Before five 
o’clock we were in sight of Jacksonville. The 
pilot ran the boat as near the shore as it was safe 
to go, and the barge I had engaged to be present 
transported the party to the shore. Mrs. Mitchell’s 
house looked very pleasant from the outside ; but 
we were principally interested in the garden and 
orange grove. It was said that over five thousand 
oranges had been gathered from one of the trees 
we saw. We examined a great variety of semi- 
tropical trees and shrubs, such as lemon, banana, 
grape-fruit, and others I cannot remember. 

The party dined on the river, and landed at the 
market at six. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


193 


CHAPTER XIX. 

THE ADVENTURES OF AN INVALID. 

M R. CORNWOOD had been very polite and 
pliable all day, and his skill as a pilot won 
my commendation. When he expressed a desire 
to remain on shore, at the wharf, I did not object. 
As soon as the anchor was let go, all hands were 
piped to supper ; but I was in no condition to take 
another meal that day, after the dinner with the 
excursionists, from which I had risen an hour 
before. I was glad to be alone in my state-room, 
after the excitement of the day. In spite of what 
had transpired in the morning, and in spite of the 
evidence obtained by Washburn in regard to the 
snake, I could not help wondering if, after all, the 
pilot was not innocent of any evil intentions. 

It seemed to me that a man of his education, 
having a profession, could not take part in any 
small conspiracy, such as Captain Boomsby would 
be likely to get up. If either Com wood or Griffin 
Leeds, his agent, intended to do me any harm, it 
13 


194 


DOWN SOUTH: OR, 


seemed to me they had had abundant opportunity 
to do it already. The pilot might have wrecked 
the vessel, and the waiter might have poisoned the 
food I ate. I resolved to be very careful how J 
charged Cornwood with any evil, unless it was 
capable of being proved. 

" I should like to go on shore, Alick, if you have 
nothing better for me to do,” said A\ ashburn, 
coming into my room when he had finished his 
supper. 

"I have nothing for you to do,” I replied. 
"What’s up now?” 

" I have some curiosity to know what has be- 
come of Cobbington ; and I think I shall call upon 
his landlord,” replied the mate, laughing. 

" I will go with you, if you have no objection,” 
I added. 

" I should be glad of your company,” said he, 
leading the way to the gangway. "Hold on a 
minute, captain,” he added, when I began to order 
my boat. " There is the boatman that carried off 
Cornwood’s letter. He is looking for a job : sup- 
pose we give him one ? ” 

I did not object, and the mate hailed the boat- 
man. We seated ourselves in his boat, and he 
pulled for the shore. Our uniforms gave us great 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 195 


distinction among the colored people. Very likely 
some of them thought we were United States naval 
officers : at any rate, they all treated us with 
" distinguished consideration.” 

"What’s your name, boatman?” asked Wash- 
burn. 

" Moses Dripple,” replied the man. 

"Well, Moses Dripple, were you alongside our 
steamer last evening?” continued the mate. 

"Yes, sar; made a quarter taking a letter 
ashore,” answered Moses, showing teeth enough 
for a full-grown alligator. 

"Put it in the post-office, did you?” inquired 
Washburn, indifferently, as he looked behind him 
at the steamer. 

"No, sar; didn’t put it into the post-office; 
car’ed it to a saloon-keeper, and he gave me a 
drink of apple-jack, as soon as he had read it, for 
bringin’ de letter.” 

" Is it possible that you drink apple-jack ? ” asked 
the mate, with some observations on the folly of 
drinking liquor. 

" Drink it when I git it, sar.” 

"Where did you get your apple-jack?” 

"At de saloon ; where else would I get it, sar ? ” 

"I suppose it made you sa boozy you don’t 


196 


DOWN south; or. 


know where the saloon was,” added the mate, 
keeping up his indifference, as though his talk was 
mere banter. 

" It was de new saloon, sar ; not boozy at all, 
sar ; Captain Boomsby keeps dat saloon. Mighty 
mean man, Captain Boomsby. As soon as he done 
read de letter, he put on his coat, and left de 
saloon.” 

That was all that Washburn cared to know — 
that the letter from Cornwood had gone to Captain 
Boomsby ; and he bestowed a look of triumph upon 
me. I paid the boatman a quarter, and we walked 
up to Bay Street. We had hardly turned the 
corner before we came plump upon a man who 
seemed to be very anxious to meet my friend and 
companion. I had never seen him before. 

"Mr. Cobbington, this is Captain Garningham, of 
the steamer Sylvania,” said Washburn, chuckling. 

"How do you do, Mr. Cobbington,” I replied. 

" How are you, captain : I’m glad to see both of 
you,” replied Cobbington. " One of you has got 
me into a bad scrape, for this morning, Gavett, 
the man I boarded with, turned me out of his 
house because I had a moccasin snake in a box in 
my room.” 

"Rough on you, was he?” added the mate. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 1£7 

" Mighty rough ! I have been looking for an- 
other room all day, and I can’t get one. I’ve got 
to sleep out-doors to-night,” replied Cobbington, 
with a very long face. 

" You shouldn’t keep poisonous snakes in your 
room,” I added. 

"He never would have known it if this man 
hadn’t told him,” said the snake-man, turning to 
the mate. " I don’t know your name, but you got 
me into a very bad scrape for an invalid ; and 
that’s the reason why I am down in Florida, instead 
of at home where I could earn a decent living,” 
whined Cobbington. " I shall die in a week, if I 
have to sleep out in the night-air : and I don’t know 
of even a shed to get under.” 

" It was no more than right to tell a man you 
had a poisonous reptile in his house,” added Wash- 
burn. " The snake might have got out, and bitten 
his wife and children.” 

" Early this morning I paid Gavett the last dollar 
I had for the rent of the room ; and I haven’t had 
a mouthful to eat since I had my breakfast. How 
long can an invalid live, sleeping out-doors, with 
nothing to eat?” added Cobbington. 

I saw the tears roll down the tjiin cheeks of the 
man, and my sympathies were excited. I saw it 
was the same with Washburn. 


198 


down south; or, 


" I have been in to see Captain Boomsby ; I had 
a room in his house for a while, and always paid 
for it. He wouldn’t let me sleep on the floor in 
one of his empty chambers, nor give me anything 
to eat,” continued the poor wretch. 

" You shall have something to eat, and a place 
to sleep,” I said. 

We went over the way to Lyman’s restaurant 
with him, and I ordered a sirloin steak and fried 
potatoes for him, with other food. When it came, 
he devoured it like a starving man. Whatever 
other lies he had told, it was the truth that he was 
very hungry. 

" That is the best meal I have eaten since I came 
into Florida,” said he with emphasis, when he had 
drained his coffee-cup. " Gentlemen, I am more 
than grateful to you. I have struggled hard to 
keep my soul and body together, and I’ve done it 
so far, though there isn’t much left of my body. I 
could live here, if I could earn enough to live on. 
You have been kind to me ; and now I’m going to 
tell you something : I have no moccasin-snake, and 
I never had one, say nothing of two. I know I’m 
a liar ; but I told that lie for a dollar Boomsby 
gave me for telling it, so that I need not be turned 
out of my room. If I had tha' Judas dollar, I 


TACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA . 199 

would send it back to Boomsby, and die with a 
clean conscience.” 

" It never pays to do wrong,” I added, deeply 
moved by the invalid’s story. 

" I told Gavett I had no snake ; but he turned 
me out, all the same. I showed him everything 
I had ; and he could find no box for the snake : 
only a lot of baby alligators, that won’t hurt any- 
body. I make a quarter now and then by selling 
them to the children at the hotels. I had to sell 
my gun I used to shoot alligators with for their 
teeth ; my best clothes are pawned ; and my trunk 
is about as empty as my stomach was half an hour 
ago. I have got about to the end of my rope ; and 
I don’t know what will become of me.” 

"We will see what we can do for you, Mr. Cob- 
bington,” I added. " What was your business at 
home?” 

" I have done almost everything. I was brought 
up on a farm, and had a pretty good education. 
My father and mother both died, and my brother 
followed them, all in consumption. I went to 
teaching school, for we lost the farm, and I had to 
take care of myself before I was twenty. My health 
gave out, and I tried to work on a farm, but I 
wasn’t strong enough. Then I went to tending 


200 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


table at a summer hotel, and saved about a hundred 
dollars. A man told me I should get well if I 
came to Florida. I thought I could make my 
living here, and I came. I brought a gun with 
me, and went into the woods. I shot deer, wild 
turkeys, and alligators. I sold the game and the 
teeth, and got along pretty well in the winter. 
Last summer I spent all the money I had left in 
coming down here. My health was pretty good 
then. I sold my gun for sixty dollars, half what 
it was worth, and did jobbing enough to keep me 
alive. I worked as a waiter on a steamer, in place 
of a sick man, for a month, and left the boat at 
Silver Spring, where the man took his place. I 
hired a gun, and tried to get a living by shoot- 
ing again ; but I couldn’t find a market for the 
game. I had to give it up. 

" I had a lot of alligators’ teeth, a rattlesnake, 
which a gentleman on a steamer offered to give me 
ten dollars for in Jacksonville, and I worked my 
way down here. I sold the teeth ; but the man 
that wanted the rattlesnake was at St. Augustine, 
and I had to wait till he came back, on his way 
north. Boomsby’s wife turned me out when she 
found she didn’t like me, and they killed the snake 
at the St. Johns. I couldn’t stay there any longer 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


201 


now I had lost the ten dollars for the snake. My 
money was all gone ; but I picked up a little 
selling babies.” 

" Selling babies ! ” exclaimed Washburn. 

"Baby alligators, I mean,” added Cobbington, 
with a languid smile. " My health was good while 
I was in the woods ; I don’t have any cough now, 
but I’ve been running down lately.” 

Poor fellow ! My heart was touched for him. 
It was hard to grub for a bare subsistence, with 
the immediate prospect of dying in the street. 
Washburn looked expressively at me, and I nodded 
to him. We rose from the table, and told Cob- 
bington to come with us. We took him to a 
clothing-house, fitted him out with a new suit, 
yacht-club style, with a white canvas cap like my 
own, except the gold band. We supplied him with 
under-clothing, and with everything he needed, 
even to handkerchiefs, socks, and shoes. Having 
obtained these, one-half of the cost of which Wash- 
burn insisted upon paying, we next visited a bath- 
house, where the invalid " washed and was clean.” 
He then clothed himself in the new clothes, and 
came out of the bath-room looking like another 
person. 

We went to the wharf, where we obtained a boat, 


202 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


and in a few minutes we were on board. I for- 
mally engaged the man to take the place of Griffin 
Leeds, as the waiter at the mess in the forward 
cabin. He had served in this capacity in an hotel, 
and on steamers on the St. Johns and Ocklawaha 
rivers. I gave him a berth in the forward cabin. 
I think he was happy when he turned into it. 

On Sunday I went to church in St. James Square, 
and called upon Owen as I came out. Colonel 
Shepard informed me that he had chartered a 
steamer that plied on the Ocklawaha at times, to 
take us anywhere that a steamer could go. She 
was small, but large enough for our party. 

I dined with the family and their guests, and 
went on board in the afternoon. The steward was 
entirely satisfied with the manner in which Cob- 
bington had discharged his duties, and the invalid 
was the happiest man I had seen in the Land of 
Flowers. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


203 


CHAPTER XX. 

DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY OF DEPARTURE. 

E XCEPT in Jacksonville, there was no market 
on the St. Johns River; and Mr. Peeks had 
been not a little disturbed in relation to the culi- 
nary department of the Syl vania. He could not 
go on shore at the villages on the river, and buy 
what he wanted ; but with several steamers every 
day going up to Pilatka, and several every week 
going up the Ocklawaha, I assured him he would 
have no difficulty about feeding his passengers. 
He made an arrangement with the keeper of the 
stall where he had obtained his best meats to for- 
ward to him, on his order, such supplies as would 
be needed, including ice, which was a prime neces- 
sity, not so much to preserve the meats as to cool 
the water, and put various articles in condition for 
the table. 

In spite of the general belief in the dampness of 
a Florida atmosphere, I learned that meats would 
keep longer than in Michigan. There are no cellars 


204 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


in Florida, and the dwelling-houses are usually set 
on posts planted in the ground. Meats are hung 
up in a shady place, where they will keep for a 
week or more ; and even then they are dried up, 
instead of being tainted or putrefied. The stew- 
ard had filled the ice-house with the best beef, 
mutton, and poultry he could find, most of which 
came from New York, though some of the Southern 
markets are supplied with beef from Tennessee 
and Kentucky. Most of the cattle of Florida 
range through the woods and pick up their living, 
so that they are not properly fatted for the market, 
and look like "Pharaoh’s lean kine.” 

No particular hour had been fixed upon for 
starting on the up-river trip, but the passengers 
came on board at ten in the forenoon. At this 
time steam was up in the boilers, and everything 
ready for an immediate departure. But Mr. Corn- 
wood had not put in an appearance. I had not 
seen him since he went on shore at the wharf, on 
Saturday evening. I was not much annoyed, for 
I knew where I could get a pilot at fifteen minutes’ 
notice. 

Chloe, Griffin Leeds’s wife, had come off with 
the ladies. She remained perfectly neutral, though 
she knew all about the troubles with her husband. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


205 


I looked at her with some interest when she came 
on deck ; but she seemed to be as cheerful and 
pleasant as ever. If she had said anything to the 
ladies about Griffin, nothing had come to me. As 
her husband was not to be on board, I told the 
steward to £ive her one of the after-berths in the 
cabin. She was so polite, attentive, and kind, so 
wholly devoted to her duties, that the ladies had 
become very much attached to her, treating her 
more like a friend than a servant. 

Chloe was not more than twenty-two years old. 
She had been a stewardess on a Charleston steamer, 
running up to Pilatka, at the time of her marriage 
to Griffin Leeds, who was second waiter in the 
same boat. She was entirely familiar with her 
duties, and when they were reduced to attendance 
upon three ladies, she discharged them with the 
most punctilious care. 

" What are we waiting for, Alick ? ” asked Wash- 
burn, as I seated myself in the pilot-house when 
all the preparations for our departure were com- 
pleted, and I could think of nothing more to be 
done, though I had left the port boat in the water 
in case it became necessary to go on shore for i* 
pilot. 

" Cornwood has not come off yet,” I replied. 


206 


down south; or, 


" Where is he ? ” 

" I have no idea.” 

" Does he intend to play us a trick, and leave us 
in the lurch, now that we are all ready for a start? ” 
asked the mate, with some anxiety on his face. 

" I don’t know, and I don’t much care,” I re- 
plied. " I don’t know that I ought to blame him 
much, since no fixed hour was named for starting.” 

" He ought to be on board like the rest of us, so 
that whenever his services are required he may be 
ready to do his work,” added Washburn, impa- 
tiently. " You say you don’t much care whether 
or not he intends to play us a trick and leave us in 
the lurch. How are you to get on without a pilot ? ” 

" I can have one on board in half an hour at the 
most. There are plenty of them, and I find they 
are glad to serve in such a nobby craft as the 
Sylvania, where they have easy work and the best 
of grub,” I replied. 

" There comes a boat. I see the Panama hat 
and light clothes in it,” added Washburn, evidently 
relieved, for he was impatient for the voyage to 
begin. 

In a minute more the pilot was on the deck of 
the steamer. 

" I hope I have not delayed you,” said he, when 
he saw that we were all ready to leave. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


207 


" Not long,” I replied, wishing to make things 
as pleasant as possible with him for the trip of 
three weeks. 

" I did not know at what hour you intended to 
leave, or I should have been on board before,” 
pleaded Corn wood. " I have been very busy with 
some legal business this morning.” 

O O 

" If you are all ready, we will be off at once,” 
I continued. 

I hastened to the pilot-house, expecting him to 
follow me ; but instead of doing so, he passed 
through the engine-room, and disappeared on the 
other side of the vessel. I concluded he had gone 
below for another coat he wore when at the wheel. 
I went into the pilot-house, thinking he would ap- 
pear in a moment. The anchor was hove up to a 
short stay ; but the wind was blowing quite fresh 
from the south-west, and I did not care to get 
under way in his absence from the wheel. I waited 
ten minutes ; and then my patience began to give 
out. I left the pilot-house, with the intention of 
sending below for the pilot, when I was informed 
that a boat had just come alongside. 

It contained Captain Boomsby and Griffin Leeds. 

Though I had tried to make myself proof 
against harboring any suspicions, I thought the 


208 


down south; or. 


long delay of Cornwood was explained. He had 
been very busy with legal business that morning. 
Did it relate to the affairs of Griffin Leeds and my 
ancient enemy? 

" Allow no one to come on board,” I said to the 
mate, who had told me of the coming of the boat, 
and who were in it. 

I went aft. The gangway steps had been taken 
in-board, and stowed away after Cornwood came. 
Captain Boomsby was rather more than half full 
of whiskey. I found there was a third person in 
the boat, who proved to be an officer. He had 
come to attach the steamer on the suit of Captain 
Boomsby, to obtain possession of her on his old 
claim, and to trustee Owen Garningham for any 
money that might be due to me. I allowed the 
officer to come on deck. He was a very gentle- 
manly man, and had applied to Colonel Ives when 
the writ was given to him. The colonel had filled 
out a bond as surety for the defendant, to be signed 
by Colonel Shepard ; and that gentleman at once 
put his autograph on the document. 

The officer was entirely satisfied, and was about 
to take his departure when Cornwood appeared ; 
but he offered no objection, and the writ had not 
come from his office. Captain Boomsby was in a 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


209 


violent passion when he learned that the steamer 
was to be allowed to proceed on her voyage up the 
river. He swore at the officer, and declared that 
he had not done his duty. The steamer belonged 
to him, and he insisted on coming on board. 

"I came off for my wife,” said Griffin Leeds. 
"I want her to go on shore with me.” 

This demand seemed to me a more serious com- 
plication than that of Captain Boomsby’s ridiculous 
suit. I did not know much about law, but I had 
an idea that a man had a right to his own wife. 
Colonel Shepard was a lawyer, though he did not 
practise his profession, and I was entirely willing 
to leave this matter to him, for he was more inter- 
ested in it than any other person, as his wife was 
an invalid, and needed Chloe’s attentions more than 
the other ladies. 

"Don’t let her go,” said the Colonel; and so 
said all the ladies. 

" You can’t separate man and wife,” said Corn- 
wood. 

"We don’t propose to separate man and wife,” 
replied Colonel Shepard, before I had time to say 
anything. "If his wife wants to go, she is at 
perfect liberty to do so. Ask Chloe to come on 
deck,” he added, turning to the steward. 

14 


210 


DOWN south; OR 


The stewaidess appeared a minute later. 

" Here, Chloe, I want you to come on shore with 
me,” shouted Griffin Leeds, when he saw his wife. 
" I have got a room all furnished for you, and I’ve 
got a situation as second waiter at a hotel.” 

" No, I thank you ! ” replied Chloe, pertly. " I’m 
going to stay where I am.” 

I was not a little surprised to hear her make this 
answer, for I supposed she would follow the for- 
tunes of her husband, whatever they were. I knew 
nothing in regard to their marital relations, whether 
they were pleasant or otherwise, though I had 
never seen anything to lead me to suppose they 
were unpleasant. 

" I want you to come with me ; you are my 
wife and you must come ! ” said Griffin, angrily. 
"I forbid your going in this steamer.” 

" You can forbid all day if you like ; I’m going 
in the steamer ! ” answered Chloe, very decidedly. 
" I don’t go with you any more, if I can help it.” 

" You are my wife, and you can’t help it,” re- 
torted the husband. 

" I haven’t got anything more to say about it. 
I won’t go with you ; and that’s the whole of it,” 
said the stewardess, retreating to the cabin. 

Griffin Leeds swore like a pirate, and declared 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 211 

he would be the death of his wife if she didn’t come 
with him. He called upon the officer to arrest 
Chloe, and compel her to go on shore with him. 

" Give me a proper warrant, and I will arrest 
her,” replied the officer, laughing. 

" I am her husband ; and I tell you to take her 
out of that steamer,” cried Griffin, foaming with 
wrath. 

" I don’t know that you are her husband ; and if 
1 did, I would not meddle with her,” replied the 
officer, who seemed to enjoy the situation. " Our 
business is finished on board of this craft : ” and he 
returned to the boat. 

" This seems to be rather a hard case,” inter- 
posed Cormvood. "I don’t think we have any 
right to separate man and wife.” 

" The woman is a free citizen of Florida,” added 
the officer; "and she can go where she pleases 
without any restraint.” 

" So far as the legal question is concerned, I 
suppose the woman cannot be put under any re- 
straint,” said Corn wood ; " but the idea of carrying 
off the woman against the protest of her husband, 
is not, morally, the right thing to do. I think you 
had better discharge the woman, and then you will 
be free from the possibility of blame.” 


212 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


" I don’t propose to meddle with the matter in 
any way,” I replied promptly. " I don’t know hut 
you have a wife. If she should come here and 
protest against my carrying you off up the river, 
I don’t think I should pay any attention to her.” 

" That’s another question,” replied Cornwood, 
smartly. 

" I don’t think it is : what is sauce for goose is 
sauce for gander. You will take the wheel, Mr. 
Cornwood. Forward, there ! Heave up the 
anchor.” 

As soon as the anchor was atrip, I rang the bell 
to go ahead. 


TACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


213 


CHAPTER XXI, 


A VISIT TO ORANGE PARK, 


ORNWOOD was slow to move, after I di- 



\J rected him to take the wheel. I saw that he 
was not yet in the pilot-house, when I rang the 
bell to go ahead. I directed the mate with Ben 
and Landy to prevent any of the party in the boat 
from coming on board, and hastened to the pilot- 
house. But before I reached the door Corn wood 
was at the wheel. He threw it over, and met the 
boat with the helm when she began to make head- 
way. I was not quite sure that he did not intend 
to rebel ; but I was ready to send him ashore the 
instant he did so in word or deed. My suspi- 
cions began to gather weight again. He had evi- 
dently delayed the steamer until the arrival of the 
boat containing Captain Boomsby and the husband 
of the stewardess. 

I could easily fancy that the pilot was at the 
bottom of all the proceedings to delay or prevent 
the departure of the boat. The attachment was 


214 


down south; or. 


to prevent her going at all ; the claim for the 
stewardess was to help along the matter. It 
seemed to me that some heavy reward had been 
promised to Cornwood for his services, or he 
would not endanger the liberal wages he was paid 
for his services on board of the Syl vania. But I 
knew nothing about the matter, and it was useless 
to conjecture what he was driving at. 

The steamer was headed up the river, and we 
had actually begun our long-talked-of trip. Corn- 
wood steered the boat as well as usual, but he was 
moody and silent. If he was ugly and bent on 
mischief, the worst he could do, as I understood 
the matter, was to run the steamer aground. This 
would not be a very serious calamity, and could 
involve no worse consequences than a loss of time. 
I was not alarmed at anything he might do while 
we were sailing up the river. I seated myself at 
the side of the wheel, and allowed things to take 
their course, as, in New Jersey, when it rains, 
they let it rain. But if Cornwood was angry, he 
cooled off in the course of half an hour, and re- 
marked that it was a delightful day for the start. 
I was not obstinate on this point, and I agreed 
with him. 

" I don’t think you treated me quite fairly, Cap- 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 215 

tain Garningham, in the affairs of poor Griff and 
his wife,” said he, when the steamer was off Mul- 
berry Grove. 

" Didn’t treat you fairly ! ” I exclaimed, aston- 
ished at this new phase of the argument. " Do I 
treat you unfairly because I won’t have a man with 
murder in his heart on board? Do I treat you 
unfairly because his wife refuses to leave her 
place ? ” 

" I have told you the reason why I am inter- 
ested in the man ; I am under obligations to him,” 
added Cornwood. 

" I have no objection to your being interested in 
him to the last day of his life ; but I am not suffi- 
ciently interested in him to have a man who draws 
a knife on another in this vessel,” I answered. 
"I am not under obligations to him.” 

" I have done the best I can to serve you, and I 
thought a friend of mine might be entitled to some 
consideration,” continued Cornwood, with an in- 
jured innocence of tone and manner. 

" Your influence procured for him and his wife 
places on board ; and Griffin might have retained 
his position, if he had behaved half as well as his 
wife has.” 

"Poor Griff lay down on the deck to take a 
nap — ” 


216 


down south; or, 


" I don’t care to hear that argument over again. 
I could have passed over the scuffle, if he had not 
drawn his knife when there was nothing to pro- 
voke him,” I interposed. 

"The assistant engineer did not tell the truth 
when he said he did not lay the weight of his hand 
on him,” protested Cornwood. 

" I believe he did. I don’t believe Griffin was 
asleep. He lay down with his ear to the skylight 
of the captain’s room in order to hear what passed 
between me and the mate. This is the second 
time Griffin was caught in the act of listening. 
More than this, the assistant engineer was on the 
watch, by my order, for eavesdroppers, as will 
appear at the trial,” I replied, with energy. 

" By your orders ? ” exclaimed Cornwood. 

"By my orders. Both the engineer and the 
assistant were asked to do this duty, because 
Griffin was seen before, skulking where he had no 
business to be.” 

" The mate assaulted poor Griff the other day,” 
added the pilot. 

" He caught him listening under the windows of 
our room, and took him by the collar for it, if 
that is what you mean by assaulting him.” 

" He had no right to take him by the collar.” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


217 


M I will grant that he had not ; but when one i& 
in the midst of eavesdroppers, his indignation may 
get the better of his judgment,” I replied. 

" That was just the case with poor Griff ; but he 
is a poor man, and not the son of an ex-governor ; 
and he is persecuted to the full penalty of the law 
for it,” growled Cornwood. 

" I think there is some difference in the cases. 
Griffin was skulking about, trying to listen to 
conversation which did not concern him. If he 
wants to take a nap, he lies down with his ear to 
an open skylight. Mr. Washburn is charged with 
the discipline of the vessel ; and when your friend 
attempted to escape from the place where he was 
caught, the mate took him by the collar. Griffin, 
or you, as his counsel, might have prosecuted him 
for the assault, if you had thought proper to do 
so,” I answered. 

”1 am sorry I did not do so, after what has 
happened since.” 

"I am sorry you did not, for it would have 
brought to light some things which have not yet 
been ventilated.” 

"What do you mean by that, captain?” de- 
manded the pilot, looking furtively into my face. 

" It is not necessary to explain matters that have 


218 


down south; or, 


not yet been brought into the case,” I replied 
coldly. " I think we had better drop the subject, 
and not allude to it again. As a guide and pilot, 
I am entirely satisfied with you. Griffin Leeds has 
been discharged ; and he cannot be employed again 
under any circumstances on this vessel. I won’t 
have a man about who is skulking under windows, 
listening to what don’t concern him, or a man who 
will draw a knife on another.” 

" The steward wants to know at what hour he 
shall serve dinner in the cabin to-day?” asked 
Cobbington, poking his head into the pilot-house 
ar this moment. 

For some reason not apparent to me, the pilot 
was so startled at the sound of the new waiter’s 
voice that he let go the wheel, as he was swinging 
the boat around at a bend of the river. The wheel 
flew over with force enough to knock a man down 
if it had hit him. I immediately grasped the 
spokes, and began to heave it over again. 

"No harm done; my hand slipped,” said the 
pilot. 

"Good morning, Mr. Cornwood,” added the new 
waiter, with a broad grin on his face. " I didn’t 
know you were the pilot of this steamer. I hope 
you are very well.” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 219 

*Very well,” answered Cornwood, with an 
utterly disgusted expression on his face, as he 
continued to throw the wheel over. 

" 1 think the passengers will not dine on board 
to-day,” I replied to the question of the waiter. 
" But I will let the steward know in season.” 

The forward-cabin steward retired. It was evi- 
dent that Cornwood had not seen him on board 
before, and that he was not at all pleased to have 
him as a fellow-voyager on the river. Cobbington 
looked as though he had gained twenty pounds 
in flesh since he came on board on Saturday night. 
In his new clothes he presented a very neat appear- 
ance ; and he had done his duty faithfully. He 
was so familiar with his work, that he required 
scarcely any instruction. All hands were greatly 
interested in his accounts of forest life in Florida, 
and he appeared to be a general favorite. By 
Monday morning, he was generally called the 
w sportsman.” 

w Is that man employed on board ? ” asked Corn- 
wood, soon after Cobbington took his head out of 
the door. 

" He is ; he takes the place of Griffin Leeds,” I 
replied. 

" How long has he been on board ? ” 


220 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


" Pie came on Saturday night.” 

"He is a good-for-nothing vagabond ! ” exclaimed 
the pilot. 

" He has had a hard time of it in Florida, ac- 
cording to his own account. If he does his duty, 
that is all I want of him,” I added. 

" Where did you pick him up ? ” 

"He hailed Mr. Washburn in the street when I 
was with him, and we brought him off with us. 
He was in a starving condition, and Captain 
Boomsby, at whose house he used to have a room, 
refused to give him even a supper. I believe he 
has been in the snake business to some extent,” I 
replied, indifferently. 

I knew very well that Cornwood wished to know 
precisely what our relations were with Cobbington ; 
but he was not so simple as to ask any questions 
about them. I could not prove that Captain 
Boomsby had placed the moccasin in the closet of 
the room where he had confined me, for my bene- 
fit, but I could prove that the explanation of the 
presence of the snake there was without any foun- 
dation in truth. Griffin Leeds had discovered by 
listening to the conversation of the mate and my- 
self, that we were investigating the matter, and 
had a clue to Cobbington. Then Cornwood had 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 221 

sent a note to the saloon-keeper to this effect, and 
Captain Boomsby had bribed the invalid with a 
dollar to lie about the matter. 

While I was reasonably certain in regard to 
such portions of the chain of the story as I had 
been compelled to supply, I could not prove all I 
believed. On the other hand, Cornwood was an 
exceedingly valuable person to me as guide and 
pilot, and I was unwilling to dispense with his 
services until he showed the cloven foot too pal- 
pably to be retained. 

The Syl vania was approaching Orange Park, a 
place which Colonel Shepard desired to visit. A 
sign four hundred feet long, and fifteen feet high, 
the largest in the world, indicates the locality. It 
can be read a mile off, and the visitor " who runs 
may read.” Cornwood ran the steamer alongside 
the long pier, and our passengers landed. Mr. 
Benedict, the enterprising Rhode Islander who 
owns the vast estate of nine thousand acres, was 
on the wharf to welcome them. The place had 
formerly been an immense sugar plantation ; but 
the present owner had cut it up into small farms 
and town lots, and considerable progress had been 
made in peopling it wdth residents from the North. 

The bluffs were thirty feet high on the river, and 


222 


DOWN south; or, 


the highest elevation was seventy feet, about the 
highest on the St. Johns. Quite a number of 
dwelling-houses had been erected, including a 
hotel, and the place had a store, a school, and a 
hall for religious services. Several thousand 
orange-trees had been set out, and were in a 
thrifty condition. They set out stumps of sour 
orange-trees, three inches in diameter, and graft 
into them two shoots, a few inches above the 
ground. These had grown two or three feet in a 
single year, and in five or six years they would be 
in bearing condition. Young trees, five or six 
feet high, are also set out. If the orange grower 
is successful, the crop is exceedingly profitable. 

Lots of from one to twenty acres were sold at 
from one to thirteen hundred dollars, as they were 
nearer or farther from the river. A house that 
would answer the purpose of a settler could be 
built for one hundred and thirty dollars, and a 
comfortable cottage for five hundred dollars. 

We walked up to the hotel, and dined with the 
proprietor. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 223 


CHAPTER XXH. 

FISHING IN DOCTOR’S LAKE. 

FTER a very good dinner, we were invited 



-LX. to take a ride in an Orange Park carriage. 
The vehicle was a platform wagon, with stakes, 
such as is called a " hay rigging ” in some parts 
of the North, drawn by a pair of mules. I found 
that a mule in this locality cost more than a house 
for the ordinary settler. On the platform were 
placed chairs enough to seat all the party, includ- 
ing Cornwood, Washburn, and myself. The pro- 
prietor was the driver, and as we proceeded on 
the excursion, he explained everything of interest. 
He drove to an old orange-tree that had borne four 
thousand oranges that year. Near it was a tan- 
gled grove of fig-trees, the first I had ever seen. 

From this point we struck into the woods. We 
crossed a clear brook which was never dry ; and 
Miss Margie asked if there were any snakes on 
the place. Mr. Benedict thought there might Le f 
though he had never seen any. 


224 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


" Oh, isn’t that magnificent ! Perfectly lovely ! ” 
cried Miss Edith in ecstasies. 

" Beautiful ! ” added Miss Margie. " Did you 
ever see anything like it?” 

I had not, for one. The sight which had called 
forth these enthusiastic exclamations was a perfect 
forest of jasmine in full blossom. The trees that 
grew near the brook were of a young growth, and 
for half an acre in extent they were loaded with 
jasmine vines so thickly covered with flowers that 
the green leaves could hardly be seen. The ladies 
were all delighted. Washburn and I got out, and 
gathered half a cord or so of the vines, thus loaded 
with blossoms, and the wagon was as fragrant as 
a perfume shop. 

We entered a forest of pines, where we found 
a house built by a couple of young men who had 
been several years in Cuba, and intended to cul- 
tivate the sugar-cane. In the midst of the woods 
we came to an old church, without a house within 
a mile of it, and which had been three or four 
miles from any dwelling in the days when it was 
used. It was a rather large log-house, now in a 
ruinous condition, in which the planters and their 
families had once attended divine services. Not 
far from it the proprietor stopped his team, and 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 225 

we all got off the wagon. We were conducted to 
the " Roaring Magnetic Spring,” which was one 
of the features of the place. Florida is a great 
place for springs of various kinds. We were all 
arranged on a wooden platform over the spring, 
which was a tunnel-shaped cavity in the blue sand 
of the earth, about ten feet deep. 

" Now keep still a moment,” said Mr. Benedict. 

We listened, and the roaring of the spring was 
easily heard when the voices of the party did not 
drown it. 

" Isn’t it beautiful ! ” exclaimed Miss Margie, 
as she bent over and gazed into the spring, the 
waters of which, for six feet down, were as clear 
as crystal. " Aren’t those sand clouds pretty? ” 

As the water boiled up from the bottom of the 
spring, it carried the sand up in clearly-curved 
clouds until their own gravity caused the particles 
to sink, and again be thrown up by the force of 
the water. The party watched this phenomenon 
with interest for some time, for not one of them 
had ever seen anything like it, with the exception 
of Mr. Cornwood. 

" Now, I want to show you something still more 
remarkable,” continued the proprietor, as he pro- 
duced two long, narrow strips of board. "You 

15 


226 


DOWN south; or, 


have heard the roaring of the spring, and now 1 
want to convince you that it is magnetic.” 

He placed the ends of the strips at the bottom 
of the spring, and then disposed of each of the 
other ends on the sides of Colonel Shepard’s head. 
The same experiment was then tried upon Mr. 
Tiffany, and all the other members of the party. 
The roaring seemed to penetrate, and pass through 
one’s head. Owen declared that the process had 
cured him of a headache he had had all day ; but 
Mr. Tiffany, while he was much interested in the 
phenomenon, was somewhat skeptical in regard to 
the magnetic properties of the spring. 

We resumed our seats on the Orange Park car- 
riage, and rode to Doctor’s Lake. It was said to 
be a dozen miles long, and from one to three miles 
wide. We were told there were plenty of fish 
in this lake, and we were disposed to verify the 
truth of the assertion. We returned to the hotel, 
delighted with our drive, and Mrs. Shepard de- 
clared that she should like to live at Orange Park. 
Before we left, the Colonel had bargained for two 
lots on the St. Johns, and to have them covered 
with orange-trees. We started for the end of the 
pier where the steamer lay, for the shallow water 
did not permit a near approach to the land. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


227 


As we approached the Sylvania, we heard a 
scream from a woman on board. I was not a lit- 
tle startled by the sound, and Washburn and I 
broke into a run. On the quarter-deck we found 
Griffin Leeds and Chloe. Her husband had seized 
her by the arm, and was dragging her towards 
the gangway. Already Ben Bowman and the two 
deck-hands were rushing to her assistance, and 
before we could reach the scene of action they had 
grappled with Leeds, and released Chloe. 

The stewardess retreated to the farthest part of 
the deck, and appeared to be in mortal terror of 
her husband. Griffin Leeds drew a knife, — not 
the one he had used before, for that was in the 
possession of the city marshal of Jacksonville, — 
and threatened to take the life of any one that in- 
terfered with him. It was evident that he had 
seen the party coming from the hotel, and had 
made a desperate effort to secure possession of 
his wife before we could defeat his purpose. I 
was afraid some of the ship’s company would get 
hurt when I saw the knife. Griffin’s wrath seemed 
to be especially kindled against the assistant engi- 
neer, on account of the affair on Saturday. 

" You white-livered villain ! ” said he, gnashing 
his teeth, with a savage oath, " I will teach you to 
meddle with me I ” 


228 


down south; or, 


He rushed at Ben, with the knife gleaming in 
the air ; but Ben, who was as cool as when on 
duty in the engine-room, grasped his uplifted arm 
with the left hand, while he placed his right on the 
throat of the assassin. Though the engineer was 
no taller or heavier than I was, he was very ath- 
letic and very active. He did not move or make 
any demonstration till the assailant was within 
reach of him, and then he grappled with him. 
In vain Griffin Leeds struggled to release his hand 
from the grasp of the engineer, who held it as 
firmly as though it had been screwed up in the 
vise in the engine-room. 

Buck Lingley was not an instant behind Ben in 
taking prompt action. He seized the other hand 
of the furious octoroon, while Hop Tossford laid 
both hands on his coat-collar behind. In another 
instant Griffin Leeds was borne down upon the 
deck. The young ladies of our party began to 
scream and run up the pier; and Mrs. Shepard 
was so agitated that her husband feared for the 
consequences. 

" Tie his hands behind him, and put him 
ishore ! ” I shouted. 

My order was promptly obeyed, and Ben and 
Buck began to march the desperate husband up 
the pier. 


TACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 229 

" There is no more danger of him, ladies/’ said 
Ben, as he approached the young ladies. 

Miss Margie and Miss Edith halted, and when 
the men with their prisoner had passed them, they 
scampered to the steamer as fast as they could 
run. Mrs. Shepard was assisted on board, and 
the danger seemed to be passed. Chloe was her- 
self again, and flew to the assistance of the inva- 
lid lady. But Mrs. Shepard recovered from her 
agitation in a few minutes. 

" I say, Alick, how much more of this sort of 
thing are we to have,” asked Owen, when the ex- 
citement had subsided. "Are we to have a scene 
like this every day in the week ? ” 

" I hope not,” I replied. 

" We had better let the man’s wife go than have 
him following us in this sort of fashion. How 
came the fellow up here, when we left him at Jack- 
sonville this forenoon ? ” 

" I suppose he came up in that steamer,” I an- 
swered, pointing to a boat a couple of miles up 
the river. " The hands ought not to have let the 
fellow come on board.” 

" The rascal is a regular butcher, and we must 
all follow the American fashion of carrying a re- 
volver.” 


m 


DOWN south; or, 


" I see just how it was : we had to run in at the 
side of this pier, so that a steamer that had occa- 
sion to stop here could make a landing at the end 
of the wharf.” 

" Is that the reason why that villain wanted to 
stab somebody?” asked Owen, with a wondering 
stare. 

" Well, not exactly. The crew of the Syl vania 
were on the forecastle, under the awning, for I 
saw them rushing aft when I heard the woman 
scream,” I continued. 

" Then it was because the crew were on the fore- 
castle ? ” inquired my cousin, with open mouth. 

"When Griffin landed from that steamer, he 
probably saw Chloe on the quarter-deck, or if he 
did not, he went into the cabin and found her. 
The crew being forward of the deck-house did not 
see him. She refused to leave the steamer with 
him, and he undertook to take her away by force,” 
I explained. 

"And you think that makes it all right, Alick ? ” 
asked Owen. 

" I think not. If I had thought of such a thing 
as Griffin’s coming on board, I should have set a 
watch to prevent him from doing so. I shall take 
this precaution in future.” 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


231 


" Does that mean that you will set a watch in 
the future ? ” asked Owen, seriously. 

" That is just what it means : and one is lucky 
when the dull brain of a Briton catches the idea,” 
I replied. 

The appearance of the young ladies called Owen 
away, and I announced to the passengers that they 
would want their fishing-gear in the course of half 
an hour. I had plenty of fishing-tackle of all 
sorts which I kept on board ; and I knew that all 
the gentlemen in the cabin, unless it was Mr. Tif- 
fany, were supplied with all the implements for 
fishing and shooting. Cornwood had procured a 
supply of bait while we were at dinner. The 
fasts were cast off, and we backed out into the 
river. Ben and Buck had returned, having made 
their prisoner fast to the railing of the pier, at the 
suggestion of Mr. Benedict, who said he would 
look out for him. 

The steamer stopped when she was clear of the 
pier, and then went ahead. The pilot said he was 
perfectly familiar with the navigation of Doctor’s 
Lake, having surveyed it in the service of the 
State. The water was very shallow near the 
shore, where we had broken through the bushes 
to its brink ; but it was said to be very deep in 


232 


DOWN south; or, 


many parts. I had read that the frequent passage 
of steamers over the waters of the St. Johns had 
driven the frightened fish into such places as Doc- 
tor’s Lake. We entered its waters, and steamed 
several miles up the lake. Then the pilot rang 
the gong, and the vessel was soon at rest. 

We baited our hooks, and dropped the lines 
into the lake. Miss Margie was the first to hook 
a fish. After a hard pull she got him to the top 
of the water. It was a catfish weighing twelve 
pounds. The Colonel and Owen were disgusted. 
A catfish is an exaggerated hornpout, or “bull- 
head.” None but negroes eat them at the South. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 233 


CHAPTER XXHI. 

TROLLING FOR BLACK BASS. 

T HE idea of fishing for catfish is absurd ! ” ex- 
claimed Colonel Shepard. " It isn’t a proper 
use to put a white man to.” 

" Don’t fish so deep, then,” suggested Corn- 
wood. " The catfish live on the bottom.” 

I was as much disgusted with the idea of catch- 
ing catfish as the Colonel, for I had seen plenty of 
them caught by the negroes on the wharves at 
Jacksonville. I took a good-sized spoon-hook, 
with three hundred feet of line attached to it, just 
as I had used it in Lake Superior, and cast the 
hook as far out into the water as I could. I 
trolled it home, and obtained quite a heavy bite. 
I tried it again, and this time hauled in a fish that 
would weigh six pounds. 

"What’s that, Mr. Cornwood?” I asked, as I 
brought the fish inboard. 

" That’s a black trout,” replied the pilot. 

" Black trout ! ” replied the Colonel, who was a 


234 


DOWN south; or, 


great fisherman. "That isn’t a trout of any sort? 
It is a black bass.” 

"We call them black trout on the St. Johns, 
where they are very plenty at some seasons of the 
year,” added Cornwood. 

" He is not quite like our black bass of the lakes 
of the State of New York; his head is larger,” 
added the Colonel, after he had looked the fish 
over. " Still he is a black bass, and a big one too.” 

" Do you call that a big one ? ” demanded Corn- 
wood contemptuously. 

" I have fished a great deal in the New York 
lakes, and I never saw a black bass that would 
weigh more than four pounds and a half, though 
I have heard of them that weighed five.” 

" I have caught them that would weigh twelve,” 
added the pilot. 

The Colonel looked at him as though he were a 
descendant of the father of lies. I had three 
more spoon-hooks, with the necessary lines, two 
of which I had bought on the northern shore of 
Lake Superior. It was odd to think of fishing 
with them here in Florida. I sent Cornwood to 
the pilot-house, and told Moses to give the steamer 
about four knots an hour, for this was the way I 
used to do on Lakes Huron and Superior. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDAo 235 

We had not room for more than four lines at the 
stern for trolling. I offered one of them to Mr. 
Tiffany ; but he declined, pleading that he had no 
skill in this kind of fishing. The Colonel, Owen, 
Gus Shepard, and I, handled the lines. Going at 
four knots, the screw hardly broke the water, 
though possibly it astonished the fishes. Our 
lines had hardly run out their length before two of 
us had each a fish on his hook. The Colonel and I 
brought in a fish apiece, about the size of the one 
I had caught before. Owen and Gus took their 
turn while we were getting our fish off the hook. 
My cousin lost his, but Gus got his on board. 
The sport was quite equal to blue-fishing, which I 
had tried on the coast of Maine. In an hour we 
had twenty of them, all black bass. Miss Margie 
wished she might fish ; I told her to put on her 
thick gloves and she might try. I baited the 
spoon-hook with a live little fish the pilot had pro- 
cured, and gave her the line. In a few minutes 
she was tugging away at a fish. He was unusually 
gamy, leaping out of the water a dozen times on 
his way to the boat. 

" I can’t get him any further, captain ! ” cried 
she, out of breath with her exertions. I took the 
line from her, and hauled in the largest bass we 
had yet seen. 


236 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


" It would be wicked to catch any more, for we 
can’t use them,” said the Colonel. " Here, steward, 
weigh this fish, if you please.” 

The bass Miss Margie had caught carried the 
spring scale down to twelve and a quarter. 

" Where is Mr. Cornwood ? ” demanded Colonel 
Shepard ; and he rushed forward to the pilot- 
house. "Mr. Cornwood, I doubted your state- 
ment when you said you had seen a black trout, 
or bass, that would weigh twelve pounds. I beg 
your pardon, for we have one that will weigh 
twelve and a quarter.” 

" I hope you will yet catch a bigger one, Colonel 
Shepard,” replied the pilot, delighted to be vindi- 
cated. 

"Now let her out, and run for Green Cove 
Springs,” I interposed. 

The deck-hands wound up the lines ; we were 
soon out of the lake, and again headed up the St. 
Johns River. All the party were exhilarated by 
the fine sport we had had on the lake, and they 
were devoting themselves to a particular examina- 
tion of the fish. Ben Bowman laid aside the dig- 
nity of his office as assistant engineer, and pro- 
ceeded to dress the fish, which he was better quali- 
fied to do than any other person on board. It was 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 237 

about six o’clock in the afternoon when we finished 
fishing, and the cabin party were called to supper 
before we got out of the lake. As soon as they 
had sufficiently discussed the fish, they went below. 

The mate relieved Comwood at the wheel while 
the latter went to supper, which was ready at the 
same hour as the cabin meal. I preferred' to take 
my supper with Washburn, and so I waited till 
half an hour later. I was talking with him about 
the fishing, when Chloe came to the door of the 
pilot-house, and with her usual smile said she 
would like to see me. I went out on the fore- 
castle with her, for I thought she had taken the 
particular time when Cornwood was at supper to 
speak with me. 

" Captain Garningham, I am willing to leave the 
Syl vania when the boat gets to Green Cove Springs, 
for I know that I am making a great deal of trou- 
ble on board,” said she, showing her pretty white 
teeth. 

" I was not aware that you had made any trouble 
on board,” I replied. "It is your husband who 
has made all the trouble.” 

"Well, it is on my account; and if I leave the 
Sylvania, he will not trouble you any more,” she 
added. 


238 


down south; or, 


" I don’t think the ladies in the cabin would be 
willing that you should leave.” 

" I am sure Griffin will be in Green Cove Springs 
to-night, and he will make a heap of trouble there, 
as he has done to-day,” continued Chloe. " I don’t 
want to keep you in hot water all the time on my 
account.” 

"We understand the situation better than before, 
and we shall have no further trouble with Griffin. 
T shall have a hand forward and another aft when- 
ever we are at anchor, or at a wharf, so that he 
can’t get on board of the steamer,” I replied. " If 
you don’t want to go with him, all you have to do 
is to stay on board.” 

"I don’t want to go with him,” said she, with a 
good deal of energy. "If I could have found a 
place in a steamer going north, or anywhere that 
would take me away from him, I would have left 
him a year ago ; ” and her bright eyes snapped as 
though she meant all she said. 

" How long have you been married ? ” 

" Two years ; and I was very foolish to have 
him. Griffin is a bad man,” said she, shaking her 
head. " He was discharged from the Charleston 
steamer for getting up a fight, and drawing a knife 
on the steward. He beats me and abuses me, and 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 239 

I have been miserable ever since I married him. 
I have often been afraid of my life, he is so vio- 
lent, especially when he has been drinking.” 

" Does he drink hard ? ” 

" Only when he is ashore. If he did it on board 
any steamer, they would discharge him right off. 
When this trip in the Sylvania is done, I shall 
have a little money, and then I shall leave Florida 
by the first train, if the ladies will give me a 
recommendation so that I can get a place. I mean 
to change my name, and keep out of Griffin’s way 
as long as I live, for he will kill me if I live with 
him. I had no comfort for a year till I came on 
board of this vessel.” 

" You were living in St. Augustine, were you?” 

" Lived everywhere ; we had been in St. Augus- 
tine two months when we engaged on this steamer. 
Griffin had a place at a hotel, and was turned off 
for getting drunk, and fighting. He must have 
been very bad, or they would not have let him go 
when they were so short of waiters. He wouldn’t 
let me work anywhere, though I had plenty of 
chances to wait on table, and one to go in the San 
Jacinto to Nassau. He was afraid I should get 
some money and leave him, as I told him I would 
ufter he had whipped and kicked me. I have a 


240 


DOWN south; or, 


mark on my shoulder where he bit me, not a week 
before we came on board of this vessel.” 

My sympathies were greatly excited ; but in a 
quarrel between man and wife, I had heard older 
people say no one should interfere unless they 
came to blows, and I said nothing. 

" Griffin sailed in some vessel with Mr. Corn- 
wood, I believe,” I added. 

" Never in this world ! ” protested Chloe. " He 
was born and raised in Fernandina, as I was ; and 
I can tell where he was every hour of his life, up 
to our marriage. He was on the same steamer 
with me three years, and both of us were at home 
up to that time.” 

" Why did you marry him if you knew him so 
well ? ” I asked, much interested in her story. 

''Because I was foolish, and thought I could 
manage him. Perhaps I could, if he didn’t drink 
no liquor.” 

"I was not aware that he was a drinking man.” 

" If you had got near enough to smell his breath 
to-day, you would have known that he drank 
liquor. He never seems to be very bad, but 
whiskey makes him ugly.” 

"He seems to be a good friend of Mr. Corn- 
wood,” I suggested. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


241 


"Well, he ought to be ; for Mr. Cornwood got 
him out of a very bad scrape when he nearly killed 
a man in Jacksonville last January. I don’t think 
much of Mr. Cornwood, neither. I reckon he 
uses Griffin as a witness when he wants one, for 
Griffin will swear to anything.” 

"Did Mr. Cornwood ever fall overboard, and 
Griffin save him?” 

" Never in this world ! He never sailed in the 
same vessel with him, except this one.” 

" Do you know Captain Parker Boomsby, 
Chloe?” 

"Never heard of him before.” 

" You had better go to the cabin now. As long 
as you remain on board, I will see that you are 
protected,” I said, rising from my stool, for it was 
about time for the pilot to come on deck. 

" Thank you, Captain Garningham. I have told 
the ladies how I am situated, and they promise to 
help me all they can,” replied Chloe, as she tripped 
lightly to the companion-way aft. 

It appeared from the statement of the stewardess 
that Cornwood had been lying to me right along 
in regard to Griffin Leeds. He had no interest in 
him, except to have him on board to act as a spy 
and listener upon me. But in spite of this fact — 
16 


242 


south; or, 


and I had nc iVubt i t was a fact — Corn wood was 
an exceedingly useful person on board of the 
Sylvania. I could not believe that he had been 
acting as a guide for parties, though it was plain 
that he was entirely familiar with the State of 
Florida. 

The pilot took his place at the wheel, and Wash- 
burn and I went to supper. We talked freely 
before Cobbington, who told us that Corkwood 
had offered him five dollars to be a Vtness in a 
case of assault he had not seen ; b*T be ^ '♦nld 
rather starve than commit a crime. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 243 


CHAPTER XXI Y. 

GREEN COVE SPRINGS AND GOVERNOR’S CREEK. 

B Y the time we had finished our supper, the 
steamer was in sight of Green Cove Springs. 
Magnolia was abreast of us, and we had passed 
Hibernia; but nothing was in sight from either 
place except the hotels, where winter boarders 
from the North are domiciled, and at the former a 
few cottages. There were plenty of " crackers,” 
or natives, in the country ; but they did not appear 
to live on the banks of the river. The ladies were 
seated in the pilot-house, observing the scenery, 
which by this time had become a little monoto- 
nous, though the scene was always delightful, for 
we had only the varying breadth of the river, and 
the forest. Occasionally we saw a few old red 
cedars, whose fantastic forms excited attention for 
a time, with their trunks divided like an inverted 
Y, near the surface of the water. The bluffs, when 
there were any, were covered with blackberry 
vines, all in blossom, so that they looked like 
enow banks in the distance. 


244 


down south; or, 


"You must get up early in the morning, ladies, 
and take a bath in the warm water of the spring,” 
suggested Mr. Cornwood as we approached the 
village, which had quite a number of houses, com- 
pared with any other place we had seen since we 
left Jacksonville. 

Mrs. Shepard had heard of the spring, and was 
desirous of trying its waters. As we approached, 
we discovered a small steam-yacht anchored off an 
old wharf, nearly in front of the Union Hotel. It 
was a very pretty craft, very broad for her length, 
and evidently did not draw more than two feet of 
water, or perhaps three. Before we came up with 
her Cornwood had rung the speed-bell, and we 
were moving very slowly. He rang the gong 
when we were abreast of the yacht, and then gave 
two strokes of the bell to back her. 

" Let go the anchor ! ” he shouted to the deck- 
hands forward, for as the passengers were to remain 
on board all night, I thought it was better to be 
off in the stream than at the wharf. 

The Sylvania brought up to her cable about 
half-way between the end of the long pier, where 
the steamers made their landings, and the little 
steam-yacht. It was almost dark when we an- 
chored, and I could not obtain a very good view 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 245 

of the village. In the evening our musicians were 
called for. Then the absence of Griffin Leeds was 
regretted, as he played the violin ; but Cobbington 
declared that he had played that instrument for 
years before he left home : only he had no fiddle. 
Fortunately, Landy Perkins, who played the violon- 
cello, and was learning to play the violin, had one, 
and our orchestra was complete. 

It was a beautiful, mild, and soft evening, and 
our party stayed on deck until eleven o’clock. I 
arranged an anchor- watch, so that two of the ship’s 
company should be on deck all the time, one 
forward and the other aft, day and night. They 
were to allow no one to come on board, unless by 
permission of the captain or mate ; and Washburn 
and I had agreed that one of us should remain on 
board all the time. Our passengers did not care 
to have strangers staring at them, and no one was 
willing that Griffin Leeds should put his feet on 
the deck of the Syl vania again. 

Early in the morning the boats were dropped 
into the water, and put in proper condition for use. 
At six in the morning the steward called the pas- 
sengers, as required by them, and a little later we 
landed them at some steps on the pier, near the 
shore, so that they had not far to walk. Mr. 


246 


DOWN south; or, 


Cornwood and I remained on shore to assist the 
party. At the head of the wharf we found a store, 
a billiard-hall and a bar-room, and other evidences 
of civilization. A street on the right led to the 
Union Hotel and the Riverside Cottages, and one 
on the left to Orange Cottage, the two latter being 
large boarding-houses, which we found were occu- 
pied by people from the North. 

Following the street from the wharf, we came to 
the Clarendon Hotel, the most pretentious estab- 
lishment in the place. At the office of this house 
Cornwood obtained tickets for the baths. The 
spring and the bathing-houses are inclosed in a 
park, ornamented with live-oaks. We descended 
to the spring, around which a platform is built. 
The spring was similar to that we had seen at 
Orange Park, though there were no clouds of sand 
rising from the bottom of it. Though the water 
was eighteen feet deep, we could see to the bottom 
of the tunnel-shaped hole from which it issued. 
Its temperature was 76°, and it had a very strong 
odor of sulphur. 

We all drank a dipper each of the water, which 
was perfectly transparent, and I thought it was 
not " bad to take ” as a medicine. There is a bath 
for ladies, and another for gentlemen. Ours was 


yacht ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 247 

a swimming-bath, about sixty feet long ; and I 
must say that the water was perfectly delightful. 
I was told that the place was bad for consump- 
tives, but the water was excellent for rheumatism, 
dyspepsia, and kidney complaints ; but as I had 
none of them, I know nothing at all about its vir- 
tues. Colonel Shepard declared that he felt like 
a new man after the bath, and even the invalid 
Mrs. Shepard was as frisky as a young lamb. The 
bath was certainly a great luxury to all of us. 
We took a walk about the place, and found the 
village was very much like the rural part of Jack- 
sonville. The gardens were crowded with orange- 
trees, and the mocking-birds filled the air with 
their melody. 

In walking over to Orange Cottage we had to 
cross a bridge, about fifteen feet above the water, 
which was a stream flowing from the spring. It 
was the clearest water I had ever seen, and I have 
gazed into the crystal tide of Lake Superior, which 
has a great reputation for its purity. A boat was 
floating on the surface, and I saw great catfish 
swimming lazily out of the pool. Back of the vil- 
lage was the forest of pine, magnolia, and live-oak. 
We walked far enough to see the homes of some 
of the crackers, which were rude and primitive. 


248 


DOWN south; or, 


After breakfast we landed again, and followed 
" St. David’s Path ” to Magnolia. It was through 
the woods, on the bank of the river. " St. David,” 
though he was not the original champion of Wales, 
had a very fine residence near the entrance to the 
wood. I believe he was canonized for the ink he 
made. Near the house we found some magnolia 
leaves that were nearly a foot long. The blue 
sand in the path was as hard as a rock, and it was 
strange that anything would grow in it. 

The proprietor of Orange Park resented the 
idea, when some one called the soil nothing but 
blue sand ; and taking up a handful of it, h(* 
rubbed it between his palms. The skin was con- 
siderably stained by the operation, which cotydd 
not have been the case if the earth had been simply 
house-sand, as it is called in the North. We all 
knew that the finest oranges, bananas, lemons, 
sugar-cane, as well as strawberries and garden 
vegetables, grew out of it. 

At the bridge which crosses Governor’s Creek, 
on the other side of which is the Magnolia House, 
we found the boats, which had been ordered to be 
here. We all embarked, and ascended the creek. 
Our course was through water-weeds and tiger- 
lilies ; but we soon came to clear water. An old 
mill stood by the shore. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 249 

" There is a friend of yours, Captain Garning- 
ham,” said Cornwood, as he pointed to a log, one 
end of which was submerged in the creek. 

On the log, coiled up, with his head in the 
middle and resting on one of the folds of his body, 
was a moccasin snake just like the one I had seen 
in the attic room of Captain Boomsby’s house. 

" Mercy ! ” exclaimed Miss Margie. " It is a 
snake ! Let us get away from here ! ” 

"Don’t be alarmed, Miss Tiffany,” interposed 
the guide. "He is fast asleep.” 

" But he may wake, and bite some of us,” in- 
sisted Miss Margie. 

" If he wakes, the first thing he will do will be 
to run away. It is a moccasin, and his bite is 
poisonous ; but he can’t bite in the water.” 

Cornwood picked up a boat-hook, but the snake 
was just out of his reach. The men backed the 
boat a little, and the guide just touched the tail of 
the reptile. This woke him, and without waiting 
to bid adieu to the party, he scurried up the log, 
and disappeared in the trees on the bank of the 
stream. Miss Margie was greatly relieved when 
he was gone. The oarsmen gave way again, but 
had not taken three strokes before one of them 
tipped over an alligator in the water. He was a 


250 


DOWN south; or, 


little fellow, and made off with all his might, to the 
great amusement of the party. The men had not 
taken half a dozen strokes more, before another 
alligator was turned over by an oar. This was a 
larger one than the other, and his head was lifted 
entirely out of the water. At the same moment 
CornAVOod, A\ r ho was standing in the boAV of the 
boat, aimed a revolver at him, and fired. 

Miss Margie gave a little scream at the report 
of the pistol. The ball had evidently done its 
work, for the reptile was floundering on the top 
of the Avater, instead of running aAvay, as the other 
one had done. The guide fired again ; and after a 
little more struggling, the alligator lay still on the 
top of the water. 

"We Avill tow him ashore and let you look at 
him, if you Avish,” said the guide. 

"No, I thank you ; not on my account,” added 
Miss Margie. 

"I should really like to see him,” said Miss 
Edith. 

"Then you shall see him,” replied Owen. 

But there was no shore in the vicinity to tow 
him to ; and the guide suggested that he should be 
allowed to remain, while we followed the other 
boat to the head of boat navigation on the creek, 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 251 

which was only a short distance farther. The 
shore was under water, and the trees grew out of 
it. The guide said this was a specimen of a por- 
tion of the Ocklawaha, on a small scale. But we 

* 

soon came to higher banks, which were covered 
with a fragrant blossom called the " swamp pink ” 
in some parts of the North. The air was loaded 
with its perfume, and the young ladies were in 
ecstasies over the sweetness of the blossoms, and 
the beautiful appearance of the banks of the stream. 
Beyond this we found the shore covered with 
another blossom, the swamp blueberry. The 
bushes lined the shore, and were so covered with 
blossoms that they seemed to be all there was of 
them. The young ladies wanted to gather some, 
and the men filled every available place in the boat 
with these and the swamp pinks. 

On our return we picked up the alligator, mak- 
ing a line fast to him, and towing him down to the 
bridge. We made a landing under the bluff, and 
hauled the reptile out of the water. He was about 
five feet long. Buck pried his mouth open, so 
that the ladies could see his teeth. Cornwood 
asked Miss Margie if she did not want a piece of 
him for her supper, declaring that he had eaten a 
portion of the tail, which he considered very 


252 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


good. The English maiden preferred beef and 
mutton. 

We did not want the alligator, and we left him 
where he was. Cornwood said some native would 
take possession of him, and in two or three months 
his teeth would be for sale in the stores at Jackson- 
ville. We were on board in time for dinner at 
one, the hour at which it had been ordered. In 
the afternoon I received a visit from the gentleman 
who was sailing the little steam-yacht near us. He 
was a New Yorker, spending the winter in Florida, 
and had his wife and daughter on board. I intro- 
duced him to our party, and showed him all over 
the Sylvania. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


253 


CHAPTER XXY. 


ALLIGATOR SHOOTING ON BLACK CREEK. 
FTER supper I returned the visit of Mr. 



Ijl Garbrook, the owner and captain of the little 
steam-yacht. She was a perfect beauty, and, small 
as she was, she had two state-rooms for the owner 
and his family, and a nice little cabin. The whole 
ship’s company besides the owner, consisted of an 
engineer and a boy. Forward of the engine were 
a cook-room, a little cabin, and the pilot-house, 
the latter so small that only one person could 
occupy it at the same time. 

" Who is the cook? ” I asked, wondering how he 
managed to run the boat with only two hands. 

" Sometimes the boy does the cooking, and 
sometimes I do it ; but we don’t live very high on 
board,” said Mr. Garbrook, laughing. "We take 
most of our meals on shore when we are near a 
hotel.” 

"I think I should prefer a little more room,” I 
added. 


254 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


" So should I ; but a steamer of your size draws 
too much water. I have an orange plantation 
back of Picolata; I have to run up Five-Mile 
Creek to reach it by water; and it is not deep 
enough for such a craft as I would like,” added 
Mr. Garbrook. 

”1 was thinking of going up Black Creek to- 
morrow, to Middleburg ; but I cannot find a pilot. 
I was going to ask your party to accompany us,” 
continued the owner of the little steamer. 

" I think I can furnish the pilot,” I replied. 

"Your steamer draws too much water for Black 
Creek, or I suppose you would run up to Middle- 
burg in her. A great many parties make this 
excursion.” 

" I don’t know that I ever heard of Black Creek 
before,” I replied, wondering that Cornwood had 
not mentioned it. 

Perhaps our guide did not know about Black 
Creek ; and I pulled out of my pocket the " Sug- 
gestions ” he had written out for the trip ; but I 
could not find the name in it. If there was any- 
thing in Florida that Cornwood was not familiar 
with, I desired to know what it was. It would be 
a real enjoyment to me to find that he was not 
competent to pilot the little steam-yacht up Black 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


255 


Creek. I was instructed to invite all our party to 
the excursion, if I could bring a pilot for the 
occasion. 

I returned to the Sylvania, and I thought 1 
would invite the party before I said anything to 
the pilot. I gave them what information I had 
obtained in regard to Black Creek and Middle- 
burg, and they were ready to accept the invitation. 
I found Cornwood on the forecastle, smoking* his 
cigar, and opened the matter by informing him 
that the party were going up Black Creek the 
next day. 

" But this boat draws too much water to go up 
to Middleburg,” said the pilot, promptly. " She 
can’t go half-way up there.” 

" But we are to go in that little steam-yacht,” I 
added. 

" That’s another thing ; I dare say she would go 
up if there was nothing but a little fog under her,” 
laughed Cornwood. 

" But we wish you to pilot her up the creek,” I 
continued. 

"I will do it with the greatest pleasure,” he 
answered. 

I was taken aback by this ready reply, for I 
had felt confident that I had found something the 
Floridian could not do. 


256 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


" You did not mention Black Creek in the paper 
you wrote,” I suggested. 

" Neither did I mention Lake Griffin, because it 
would be impossible to get up there in a boat 
drawing eight feet of water,” replied Corn wood. 

The pilot was not to be caught. I sent word to 
Mr. Garbrook that our party would be happy to 
join his family in the excursion up Black Creek, 
and that I would furnish a pilot. I noticed con- 
siderable activity on board of the Gazelle, for that 
was the name of the steam-yacht, after I sent the 
message. 

I had heard nothing of Griffin Leeds during the 
day. Though I had no doubt he was in Green 
Cove Springs, he made no attempt to come on 
board. I concluded that he intended to wait for 
a more favorable opportunity to recover possession 
of his wife ; but I was determined that no such 
chance should be afforded to him. 

At nine in the morning we went on board of 
the Gazelle, and she weighed anchor immediately. 
Cornwood took possession of the pilot-house, de- 
claring that he had never been confined in a 
canary-bird’s cage before. But he was good- 
natured about it, and when the boy had got up 
the anchor, Cornwood rang the bell to start the 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


257 


engine. Everything worked as regularly as though 
the little yacht had been a steamer of a thousand 
tons. The pilot ran the boat down the river about 
a mile below Magnolia, and then stood into an 
inlet, at the head of which we found the stream. 
It was a considerable river, but Cornwood seemed 
to be quite at home in it. It was a crooked 
stream, but the pilot ran from one side to the 
other, talking to me all the time with the utmost 
indifference. 

I observed him for a couple of hours, until I 
was entirely satisfied that he knew what he was 
about, and then joined the party astern. It was 
seldom that a steamer disturbed the waters of 
Black Creek, never in these days, except when a 
party of curious excursionists desired to explore 
the lonely region. The Gazelle made about eight 
knots an hour, and at eleven o’clock we were fast 
to a dilapidated pier at the ruined town of Middle- 
burg. It lay about half-way between the St. 
Johns and the Atlantic, Gulf and West India 
Company’s Railroad, extending from Fernandina 
to Cedar Keys, on the Gulf of Mexico, intended 
as part of a quick route to Havana. The building 
of this railroad, by diverting from it the trade and 
transportation of a considerable region of country, 
17 


258 


DOWN south; or, 


had utterly ruined Middleburg, and it w r as as lone 
and deserted as Pompeii under the ashes of Vesu- 
vius. Hardly a family was to be found in its 
abandoned houses. 

A glance at the ruins was enough to satisfy the 
party, especially as Corn wood warned us not to 
enter the houses, or we should be covered with 
fleas. These pests are not uncommon in Florida. 
Green Cove Springs formerly had some, which 
were supposed to be scattered through the place 
by the pigs that ran at large. The evil was cor- 
rected by keeping them out of the village. The 
fleas were a vastly greater terror to the ladies than 
the alligators, of which there were a great many in 
the creek. Its quiet waters, not often disturbed 
by steamers, afforded them a peaceful retreat. 
Owen and Colonel Shepard had brought their guns 
with them, and had fired at some of the larger 
ones seen on the shore; but the saurians mi^ht 
have laughed at them, if they were given to ex- 
pressing themselves in that manner. Cornw ood 
smiled every time one of them fired. 

We ran up the "North Prong” of the river a 
few miles. Under the shade of some spreading 
oaks we stopped for the lunch which our host had 
provided. It had been obtained at the hotels, and 



Alligator Shooting on Black Creek. Pasre 259. 





















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; 









i . 




















































■» 

















* 


































YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


259 


after our sail we were in condition to enjoy it. 
The alligators were larger and more plentiful, and 
while the Gazelle was at rest they were more dis- 
posed to show themselves on the sandy beach 
above us. Owen and the Colonel fired at them 
several times ; but they seemed to take no notice 
of the shots, and the pilot laughed as usual. 

"You haven’t graduated as alligator sportsmen 
yet,” said Cornwood when they had wasted a large 
quantity of powder and ball. " You might as well 
fire at an iron-clad, as at the back and sides of an 
alligator as large as those are.” 

Owen handed him his gun, which was one of 
the most expensive pieces, intended for deer and 
other large game. The pilot loaded it himself, 
and said he should try for the largest reptile in the 
group on the beach. He fired. The alligator 
gave a spring, and began to flounder in the sand, 
while his companions deserted him, taking to the 
water. In another moment he was dead. 

"What do you aim at, Mr. Cornwood?” asked 
Owen, with admiration at the skill of the Floridian. 

" It depends on circumstances,” replied the pilot. 
" If the alligator is in such a position that I can 
take him in the eye, as that one was, and send the 
ball diagonally through his head, I fire at the 


260 


dow south; or, 


eye. If he lies so that I can put the hall in behind 
his forward flipper, and have it pass forward, I 
take him there. Sometimes he is in such a posi- 
tion that you can’t hit him in either of these 
places, and it is no more use to fire at him than it 
is to shoot into the water.” 

" You made an end of that fellow, at any rate,” 
added Colonel Shepard. " I think we had better 
run over and take a look at him.” 

The pilot ran the boat near enough to the beach 
so that we could jump ashore. I took a measure 
with me, and the alligator proved to be ten feet 
and four inches long. Owen considered himself a 
good shot, and he was somewhat mortified at his 
ill-success in shooting the saurian. We ran far- 
ther up the creek till we saw another group of 
them on the sand. The steam was shut off as soon 
as they came in sight around a bend. The boat 
went ahead a considerable distance after the screw 
stopped. On this beach were a number of parallel 
crooked lines, where the alligators had crawled on 
the sand. One of the reptiles raised his head, and 
seemed to be in doubt whether or not he should 
take to the water at the approach of the steamer. 

Owen raised his piece and fired. All but one 
of the alligators scurried into the water, and dis- 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


261 


appeared. One remained on the beach motionless. 
The Gazelle was started, and on reaching the shore 
we found the reptile was as dead as he could be. 
He was larger than the other, his length being 
eleven feet and two inches. My cousin wanted to 
take him back to the Springs, and we hauled him 
on the forecastle of the little steamer. Corn wood 
gave the Englishman abundant praise for what he 
had done. After three attempts farther up the 
stream, Colonel Shepard shot one seven feet long. 
This was considered enough for one day, and we 
started on the return. At six we put our party 
on board of the Sylvania, with many thanks to Mr. 
Garbrook for the pleasure of the excursion. 

We had no further business in Green Cove 
Springs ; but Owen insisted that we must recipro- 
cate the hospitality of the Garbrooks, and I was 
asked to plan an excursion for the next day. 
There was no locality above Jacksonville to which 
our friends had not been ; and I proposed to break- 
fast the Gazelle’s people on board, and starting at 
six in the morning make a trip to Fort George 
Island, where the Garbrooks had never been, or 
even below Jacksonville on the river. The plan 
was received with acclamation, and I hastened on 
board of the Gazelle to present the invitation of 
Owen. 


DOWN south; or. 


262 

Our party were all up at five the next morning, 
for they did not omit the swimming-bath a single 
day while they were at the Springs ; and they re- 
turned in season for the Sylvania, which had 
hauled up to the pier to start on the excursion at 
the appointed hour. Washburn had filled the 
bunkers of the steamer with light wood, which is 
plenty and cheap on the St. Johns, and made 
steam very rapidly. I told Moses Brickland to 
make the best time he could with safety, and at the 
breakfast-hour I found we were making twelve 
knots. 

Our guests were delighted with the steamer. 
In the forenoon, as we had a strong southerly 
breeze, I put on all sail, as much to show the 
Garbrooks how it was done, as for any other 
reason. This operation showed off our sailors, 
and pleased all the party. At eleven we reached 
our destination ; and after lunch the party landed, 
and spent three hours in visiting the various local- 
ities on the island. At three we sailed again, and 
reached our destination at eight. 


rACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


263 


CHAPTER XXVI. 

ON BOARD OF THE WETUMPKA. 

T HE Garbrooks were exceedingly pleasant peo- 
ple. Miss Garbrook, without being pretty, 
was a very sensible girl, and our young ladies 
liked her very much. The time had apparently 
come to part when we anchored at the Springs. 
The young ladies would not consider it ; and then 
came an invitation for our party to visit Mr. Gar- 
brook’s orange plantation on Five-Mile Creek. It 
was accepted ; and the next day Cornwood piloted 
us up that stream as far as the depth of water 
would permit, and the Gazelle took them the rest 
of the way. It was a delightful house, with a 
beautiful garden, and ten acres of orange-trees, all 
in full blossom, as fragrant as the boudoir of a 
belle. 

We dined on what our host called Florida fare, 
consisting mainly of a roasted ham and spring 
chickens, with oranges, cooked and uncooked, in 
every conceivable form. We enjoyed the repast 


264 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


and the hospitality of the plantation, and regretted 
that we could not remain as long as our friends 
desired. Then came the question of parting, and 
again the young ladies protested. Miss Nellie 
must go with them. Owen at once invited the 
family to go with us up the river. A long dis- 
cussion followed ; and the Garbrooks decided to 
go if we would wait till the next morning. This 
was agreed to ; and I sent word to the mate of 
the Sylvania of the change in the time of sailing. 
The ladies remained at the house overnight, and 
the gentlemen returned to the steamer in the 
Gazelle. 

At half past six the little steamer brought the 
ladies and the baggage of the Garbrooks on board. 
We got under way immediately, and in less than 
half an hour we were standing up the St. Johns. 
This addition to the number of our passengers 
made " a new deal ” of the state-rooms and berths 
in the cabin. I was asked to assign them as I 
thought proper, and Owen told me not to consider 
him, for he would go into the forward cabin if 
necessary. Colonel Shepard and his wife retained 
one of the large state-rooms, and the other was 
assigned to Mr. Garbrook and his wife. The 
other two state-rooms were of good size, and had 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 265 

a bedstead three and a half feet wide in each. One 
of these was given to Miss Garbrook, and Miss 
Edith and Miss Margie volunteered to occupy the 
other, declaring that it was quite large enough for 
both of them. Mr. Tiffany, Gus Shepard, and 
Owen had each a berth, without disturbing Chloe. 
This arrangement was satisfactory to all the pas- 
sengers. 

The steamer went along at her usual speed of 
ten miles an hour. After breakfast, Owen and 
the young ladies took possession of the pilot-house, 
and the rest of the party were seated under the 
awning on the forecastle. These places afforded a 
view of both sides of the river, and of the long 
prospect ahead. 

" Tocoi,” said the pilot, pointing to the left. 
"This is the place where passengers are landed 
who go to St. Augustine. A railroad, fifteen 
miles in length, takes travellers the rest of the 
way.” 

We could see nothing but a few sheds, and 
Tocoi itself was of no consequence. The river 
was just about what w T e had seen all the way up 
from Jacksonville. At ten o’clock we ran up to 
the wharf at Pilatka. This is a thriving town of 
from fifteen hundred to two thousand inhabitants, 


266 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


and, like every other place on the river, is a resort 
for invalids from the North. After dinner the 
party landed and explored the town, which is not 
very different from any other Florida towns we 
had seen. It had pleasant houses, surrounded 
with orange gardens. 

I directed Washburn to anchor the Sylvania at 
some distance from the wharf in the river, partly 
to keep out of the way of steamers arriving, and 
partly to make sure that Griffin Leeds did not get 
on board of her. I had seen nothing of him, 
though I fancied he was in Green Cove Springs 
while we were there. 

The next day was Sunday ; all our passengers, 
and some of the ship’s company, went to church. 
On Monday morning we sailed for Welaka, twenty- 
five miles farther up the river. It is opposite the 
mouth of the Ocklawaha River. The St. Johns 
was only one-third of a mile wide at this point, 
and began to look more like a stream and less like 
a lake. Colonel Shepard had chartered a small 
steamer for our trip up the Ocklawaha and the 
upper St. Johns. On Saturday afternoon, Wash- 
burn, with Ben Bowman and Dyer Perkins, had 
started for Jacksonville to bring the Wetumpka, 
for that was the name of the craft, up to this point. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 267 

She was a nearly new vessel, which the owners 
had built for an extra boat, but the scarcity of 
engineers had prevented them from putting her on 
the route at that time, though they had a couple 
on their way from a northern city. Steamboat 
business was exceedingly brisk at this time of the 
year on the upper rivers, and the owners of the 
line had several boats running on them. The 
Colonel had obtained the Wetumpka only by agree- 
ing to run her himself, and by paying a large price 
for her, quite as much as she could have made 
after paying her expenses, if she had gone on the 
line. 

I was a little uneasy when I found she was not 
at Welaka. She did not draw over two feet of 
water when not loaded, and I was confident she 
could come through with Washburn at the wheel. 
I had left it to the mate of the Sylvania to start 
with his charge at whatever time best suited him. 
Both Moses Brickland and Ben Bowman had been 
offered double the wages I paid them when we 
arrived at Jacksonville, and had refused the offer. 
I could think of nothing but the want of an engi- 
neer that would prevent Washburn from coming 
through on time. 

While I was thinking about it, and worrying a 


268 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


little, I heard some one on deck say she waa 
coming ; and I felt ashamed of myself for doubt- 
ing, even for a moment, the loyalty of Ben Bow- 
man. I left my room and went aft. I saw one 
of those peculiar Florida boats coming around the 
bend below us. I sent for my spy-glass, and soon 
made out the name of the Wetumpka on the pilot- 
house. In ten minutes more she came alongside 
the Syl vania. 

I had not seen the craft I was to command 
before, and I had no little curiosity to look her 
over. Washburn received me when I went on 
board, and we shook hands, for we had been sepa- 
rated for nearly two days, a longer time than for 
months before. 

" What makes you so late ? I was afraid some- 
thing had happened to you,” I began. 

"Are we not on time?” asked the mate. "We 
were to be here on Monday forenoon ; and it is 
only eleven o’clock.” 

" I thought you were to be here in the morning.” 

" We could not be here very early in the morn- 
ing without running on Sunday, or incurring the 
risk of running aground in the dark,” replied 
Washburn with a yawn. " The moon did not rise 
till one this morning. We slept on board last 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 269 

night, and left Jacksonville at one. We have kept 
her going very lively all the time.” 

"All right; I am entirely satisfied. What sort 
of a craft is she?” I continued. 

" She is not such a craft as the Sylvania, but she 
is all right for a river boat. She has made very 
good time,” replied Washburn, as he seated him- 
self on the forward deck. 

He looked tired, and gaped several times as he 
was talking to me. He looked as though he had 
had a hard time of it. 

"I hope you are not sick, Washburn,” I said, 
in commiserating tones. 

" Not at all. I slept about four hours last night, 
and have been at the wheel of the boat ten hours 
on a stretch. That’s all that ails me ; and I shall 
be as good as new when I have had a nap.” 

"Have you had anything to eat to-day?” I 
asked, thinking the crew of the Wetumpka had 
been on duty so that they had not had time to get 
any meals. 

" Plenty to eat. I laid in a stock of cold ham, 
chickens, and coffee for the trip.” 

"You and those who came up with you had 
better go on board of the Sylvania and turn in, 
while the rest of us transfer the baggage and stores 
to this boat,” I added. 


270 


down south; or 


I called Moses, and asked him to take charge of 
the engine of the river boat, and sent the three 
hands from her to their bunks. The curiosity of 
the passengers and crew of the Sylvania was equal 
to my own. The party from the cabin rushed on 
board of the Wetumpka as soon as they found she 
was alongside, and we all went into an examination 
of her. She was a " twin boat : ” that is, she had 
two hulls, like a "catamaran.” They were flat- 
bottomed, so as to draw but little water. On 
these two hulls were laid a platform, which came 
to a point at the bow, and projected some distance 
forward of the stems of the two boats. On the 
main deck, no one would suspect that she was 
composed of two boats. 

The paddle-wheel was between the two hulls, 
and near the stern of the craft. The engine was 
on deck, and the upper part of the paddle-wheel 
was boxed up above the main deck. She had a 
broad opening on each side of her lower deck, 
through which she could receive her wood and 
freight. Forward of these doors were the quarters 
for the crew on one side, and the kitchen and ice 
house on the other. 

Above the main deck was the saloon deck, with 
the pilot-house at the forward end of it. In front 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 271 

of this was a platform on which the passengers 
could sit, the pilot looking out over their heads. 
In the saloon were eight state-rooms on a side, 
which were small, but very comfortably fitted up. 
At the stern was a pantry and a little smoking- 
room. The saloon was neatly furnished, and I 
thought our passengers could be very comfortable 
on board of the Wetumpka for a couple of weeks. 
The steward and his force were busy getting ready 
for dinner; but I set the deck-hands to moving 
the baggage of the passengers at once. 

After dinner the stores were removed on board 
of the river steamer, and by two in the afternoon 
we were ready to start up the Ocklawaha, which 
was to be the first of the two trips. We towed 
the Sylvania out into deep water, anchored her, 
and left her in charge of Ben Bowman and Dyer 
Perkins, for one engineer and one fireman were 
sufficient for the trip. Cornwood took the wheel, 
and we ran into the Ocklawaha. In a few hours 
we were in the woods, the trees of which were 
loaded with trailing moss, which, however, was no 
new thing to us, as we had seen it in Savannah, 
and all the way up the St. Johns. In places the 
shores were submerged, but the channel of the 
river was clearly defined by the shrubs and masses 


272 


DOWN south; or, 


of vines, many of them covered with flowers of 
various colors. The water was very clear, and 
not a breath of air ruffled its surface. Everything 
above it was reflected as in a mirror, and the 
young ladies were in ecstasies at the beauty of the 
forest, the vines, and the water. 

Occasionally the river widened out into a broad 
pool, with sandy shores. In one of these we en- 
countered a raft of lumber, on its way to Jackson- 
ville. The men on it were wiry, hatchet-faced 
fellows, good-natured and easy-going. Just before 
sunset we came to Silver Spring Run, into which 
the pilot turned the boat. If the water had been 
clear before, it was perfectly transparent in this 
run, or stream flowing from the spring. We could 
see the fish in the water, sixty feet down. After 
(lark we moored to a wharf for the night. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


273 


CHAPTER XXVn. 

UP THE OCKLAWAHA TO LAKE GRIFFIN. 

rpp E spring in which we were moored was a 
JL pond covering several acres, from which the 
run, nine miles in length, conveys its waters to the 
Ocklawaha. It was so dark when we made fast 
the night before, that we could not tell exactly 
in what sort of a place we were. 

"This spring is said to be the Fountain of 
Youth, which Ponce de Leon looked after,” said 
Cornwood, as our passengers gathered on deck in 
front of the pilot-house, after breakfast. " Out in 
the middle of this pool, the water is eighty feet 
deep.” 

" I never saw so large a volume of clear water ; 
and it is a great pity that Ponce de Leon didn’t 
find it, though it probably would not have made 
the old gentleman any younger,” added Colonel 
Shepard. " What sort of a fish is it I see in this 
pond, with a long nose ? ” 

" That is the gar-fish ; but it is of no account. 

18 


274 


down south; or, 


He is more like an alligator than a common fish. 
There is an alligator-gar at the South. But our 
best fish are not to be found to any great extent in 
these waters, which are stirred up every day by 
steamers and rafts. In the upper waters of the 
St. Johns you will find the best fish and game, 
though there is plenty of both up this stream.” 

The party landed, and found on shore a village 
in the midst of the forest, with stores and a hotel. 
In the vicinity were cotton and sugar plantations, 
with many Northern settlers engaged in orange- 
growing and raising early vegetables for the North- 
ern markets. At the landing, crates of green peas 
and cucumbers were ready for the steamer, which 
in less than twenty-four hours could land them in 
Jacksonville. But we were not much interested 
in examining the commercial features of the place, 
and after we had looked over a few orange-groves 
and fields of bananas, we returned on board. A 
steamer had just arrived from below, and it was a 
busy scene at the landing. 

" That steamer must have come up in the night,” 
said Mr. Tiffany, as we went on board of the 
Wetumpka.” 

" O, yes ; steamers run in the night up the 
Ocklawaha,” replied Cornwood. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 275 

"But they can see nothing, even in a moonlight 
night, under the trees that shade the stream in so 
many places,” added the English gentleman. 

" On the forward part of the boat they have fires 
of light wood, which illuminate their course for 
some distance ahead. They don’t all get up here 
so easy as we did, for they are generally heavily 
loaded and draw a foot more water, which makes 
a difference in the navigation. During a consider- 
able portion of the year, Silver Springs is the head 
of navigation on this river ; but freight is brought 
down from Leesburg in barges, which Yankees 
call scows.” 

" But how do they move the scows ? ” 

" With setting-poles, assisted by the current of 
the river. This place is only five miles from 
Ocala, to which a railroad has been laid out, 
though it may be years before it is built,” replied 
Cornwood. " We are in the very heart of Florida 
now. It is not more than thirty-five miles to 
Gainesville, to which a stage runs from Ocala 
three times a week ; and that place is on the rail- 
road to Cedar Keys. We are forty-five miles 
from the Gulf of Mexico, and sixty from the 
Atlantic. It is thirty miles in a straight line to 
the St. Johns Fiver, at the southern point of Lake 
George.” 


276 


down south; or. 


Steam was up on the Wetumpka, and we cast 
off the fasts from the landing-pier. All the party 
were on the main deck, looking down into the 
deep, clear water. The young ladies screamed 
forth their delight at the reflected objects in the 
water, and at the fish on the bottom, eighty feet 
down. We entered the run, and in another hour 
we were stemming the gentle tide of the Ockla- 
waha again. The stream was somewhat narrower 
than below the spring, from which it receives a 
large volume of water. 

" Forward, there ! ” shouted Cornwood from the 
pilot-house. 

" On deck, sir ! ” returned Buck Lingley, who 
was on duty there. 

" Stand by with the pole.” 

Buck seized a pole, of which there were several 
on the forecastle ; but he had no idea what he was 
to do with it, for he was a salt-water sailor. Cob- 
bington was sitting on the deck, and saw that the 
deck-hand was puzzled by the situation, and took 
another pole to assist and show the old salt what 
to do. At about this time we were driven from 
our position forward of the saloon by the over- 
hanging branches of the trees and the trailing 
vines. Cornwood had struck the bell, and the 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


277 


paddle-wheel stopped. But the steamer went 
ahead until the bow struck the bank of the stream. 
Overhead the trees met, and formed an arch above 
us, and the long vines were caught in various parts 
of the boat. 

It seemed to me that we were in a bad scrape, 
and I looked to the pilot to ascertain if he consid- 
ered the situation a difficult one. He did not seem 
to me to be at all disturbed, and I thought it was 
not worth while to make any outcry. I went 
down on the main-deck. I found the water was 
very shallow in the middle of the river, and Corn- 
wood had taken the side where the greatest depth 
was to be had, though we were thereby more 
snarled up in the branches of the trees than we 
should have been if we had hugged the other side 
of the stream. 

At this point the river made a sharp turn, in- 
clining to an acute angle ; and the current flowed 
by the longest way around the bend. Cobbington 
struck his pike-pole into a tree on the shore, and 
Buck followed his example. They shoved the 
head of the boat oflT, so that she pointed up the 
stream, while an occasional turn of the wheel was 
given to send her ahead. The vines and branches 
snapped and twanged as they broke or slipped 


278 


down south; or, 


from the parts of the boat where they were caught. 
In a few minutes we were clear of the obstruct 
tions, though we had to work the boat around the 
bends, and through masses of trees in this way, at 
least twenty times in the course of the forenoon. 

The river was full of alligators, and our sports- 
men amused themselves by firing at them, but with 
no great success, for the wabbling of the boat 
interfered with their aim. About one o’clock we 
came to a landing-place, where a few logs had been 
laid and tied into the sand to form a sort of wharf. 
On the bank was a shanty, and we concluded to 
stop for a while and have a run on shore, as the 
ground seemed to be high enough to give us 
standing room. Dinner was ready, and as soon as 
we had disposed of it we went on the wharf. 

We walked through the woods a short distance, 
and then came to an orange-grove, with fields of 
corn six inches high, and sugar-cane of the same 
height. Across these fields we could see a house, 
but we did not care to visit it. The woods were 
full of flowers, and the ladies gathered bouquets 
to adorn the cabin. I was assisting Miss Margie 
in this pleasant occupation, when I suddenly heard 
a rattling sound just ahead of me. 

The young lady was between me and the spot 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


279 


from which the sound came. Near her was Chloe, 
for we did not think it was necessary to confine her 
to the boats in these wilds of the interior. I did 
not believe that Griffin Leeds had followed us far- 
ther than Pilatka, though I had neither seen nor 
heard from him since we left him tied to the rail- 
ing of the pier at Orange Park. 

" Run away from there, Miss Margie ! This 
way ! ” screamed Chloe, with energy. " Come to 
me, missy ! ” 

Though I had no idea what the matter was, 
I concluded to retreat in the same direction. 
The scream of the stewardess brought up the 
rest of the party, who demanded the cause of the 
outcry. 

" That was a rattlesnake in there ! ” exclaimed 
Chloe. " I know his music well enough.” 

" I should like to see him,” said Owen, who had 
brought his gun with him for the chance of any 
game he might see. 

I picked up a stick, and went with him. As we 
approached the spot where we had been before, 
the rattling was renewed. 

" Look out, Mr. Owen ! That snake will jump 
six feet, and bite as quick as a flash,” screamed 
Chloe. 


280 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


" There he is,” said Hop Tossford, when we were 
within twenty feet of the reptile. 

He was coiled up in a heap, and looked like a 
rery large snake. He was shaking all over, ap- 
parently with anger at being disturbed by our 
approach ; and it was this motion that shook the 
rattles in his tail. While we were looking at him 
he made a leap which brought him within twelve 
or fourteen feet of us, and again coiled himself up 
for another spring. Owen aimed his gun, and 
fired into the centre of the coil. The rattlesnake 
whirled and wriggled for a moment, and then lay 
still. We could see that his head had been torn 
all to pieces by the shot, and he was as dead as it 
was possible for a snake to be. We straightened 
him out, and found that he was six feet long. 
When positively assured that he was dead, the 
ladies came up and examined him. But he was 
not a pleasant sight to look upon, and a glance or 
two satisfied them. They wanted no more flowers, 
and insisted upon going on board at once. 

As we started for the boat, we met a gentleman 
coming down the path from the house to the 
landing. He proved to be the owner of the plan- 
tation, who had come down to see what steamer 
was at the wharf. He invited us to his house, and 











Owen Aimed his Gun and Fired. Page 28 . 






YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 281 

would be delighted to have us stay a week ; but 
we felt obliged to decline the invitation with many 
thanks. 

" I should not dare to stay here even a day,” 
said Miss Margie. 

"Why not, miss?” asked the gentleman, who 
was a native of South Carolina. 

"Mr. Garningham has just killed a monstrous 
rattlesnake ; and I should be afraid of my life to 
stay where they are,” replied the English maiden. 

"We don’t mind them at all,” replied the gen* 
tleman, laughing. " I have lived here ten years, 
and not one of our people has ever been bitten by 
a rattlesnake. In fact, I hardly ever heard of 
such a thing as any one being bitten by a rattle- 
snake. There are three times as many deaths 
from suicide in the South, as from the bites of 
moccasins and rattlesnakes put together. You get 
used to them in a little while, and don’t mind any- 
thing more about them than you do the mocking 
birds that sing day and night.” 

"I don’t like them at all,” added Miss Margie. 

"I can’t say that I like them,” continued the 
gentleman. "I make a business of killing them 
when I come across them. I have no doubt the 
snake you killed was the one that came into my 


282 


DOWN south; or, 


house the other day. We had a big hunt for him, 
and couldn’t find him; and I am very much 
obliged to the gentleman that shot him. Very 
likely we shall not see another one for a year.” 

The gentleman walked with us to the landing, 
and waited there till the Wetumpka was out of 
sight. At five o’clock in the afternoon we entered 
Lake Griffin, which I judged to be about ten 
miles long, and moored at Leesburg in season for 
supper. This place is the county-town of Sumter 
County, and the head of navigation by the Ockla- 
waha. One end of the town was on Lake Hawkins, 
and there were a dozen lakes within a few miles 
of it. We found nothing very different from what 
we had seen. Our sportsmen brought in large 
quantities of small game, upon which we feasted, 
and we sailed about the lake, exchanging hospi- 
talities with the people who treated us like old 
friends. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


283 


CHAPTER XXVHI. 

AN EXPEDITION TO INDIAN RIVER. 

A FTER spending three days at Leesburg, we 
started on Friday noon, March 22, as I find 
it in my diary, which I kept in place of the log- 
book of the Sylvania, on our trip down the river. 
In order to get the fullest idea of travelling on 
the Ocklawaha, Cobbington rigged out the sheet 
iron pans, with which the boat was provided for 
burning light wood, and other combustibles that 
would give a bright blaze, and the run was con- 
tinued till midnight. The effect was exceedingly 
picturesque ; and the ladies, wrapped in their 
shawls and water-proofs, were delighted with the 
view of the forest, illuminated by the bright fires. 
The trees, the trailing moss, and the openings in 
the woods assumed weird shapes, and the alliga- 
tors were as frisky as though they were attending 
a grand ball. 

At midnight, the ladies began to yawn, and had 
evidently seen enough of the dazzling spectacle ; 


284 


down south; or, 


and the boat was moored to a tree for the rest of 
the night. At daylight we were moving again, 
and in the middle of the forenoon we reached the 
mouth of the river, and ran alongside of the Syl- 
vania. We found our ship-keepers in good con- 
dition ; but both of them wanted to go with us up 
the St. Johns, and I had not the heart to refuse 
them. I hired a reliable man to take charge of 
the Syl vania, and on Monday morning, at day- 
light, we began the trip. 

"I don’t think we want to stop at all these 
towns on the river,” said Owen, who put in an 
appearance on deck about six, with Colonel Shep- 
ard. "We have seen enough of the little places, 
and I dare say there is nothing but a shop and a 
post-office at any of them.” 

"Just as you please,” I replied. "We can be 
at the head of navigation on this river to-night, if 
you say so. But we are just going into Lake 
George, and I think you had better call the ladies, 
for I am told the scenery is very fine.” 

But the ladies began to come out of their room 
before we had time to call them. The lake was 
simply a widening of the river for eighteen miles 
to a breadth of twelve miles. It was not very 
different from the lower St. Johns, except that it 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


285 


was studded with islands, and was twice its width. 
On the largest of the islands is an extensive or- 
ange-grove. As there were no difficulties in the 
navigation of the lake, Corn wood called Buck to 
the wheel, and joined the party on the outer deck. 
He pointed out the herons, curlew, cranes, paro- 
quets, and other birds. When he said it was fine 
fishing in the lake, our sportsmen had their troll- 
ing lines overboard. Ten fine black bass wer^ 
taken ; and at " seven bells,” a portion of them 
were on the breakfast table. We all took our 
meals at the same table on the Wetumpka, though 
not at the same time. 

As we sat in front of the pilot-house, Cornwood 
pointed out all the objects of interest, and named 
the towns we passed. But nature was more to our 
taste than any village, after we had obtained an 
idea of the average town in Florida. We did not 
stop all day long, except to run into the stream 
that flows from Blue Spring, to note the marvel- 
lous clearness of the water. At four in the after- 
noon we passed into Lake Monroe, which is the 
head of navigation. On it are located the three 
towns of Sanford, Mellon ville, and Enterprise, at 
the last of which we made a landing. This place 
I had heard spoken of as the " paradise of sports- 


286 


down south; or, 


men,” and the headquarters of all who desire to 
hunt and fish in this part of the state. 

For a change, the passengers went on shore and 
stopped at the Brock House over night. Corn- 
wood went with them, but he returned about nine 
o’clock. I was reading some letters I had ob- 
tained at the post-office ; but none came from my 
father, and I had become quite anxious about him. 

"What do your passengers wish to do, cap- 
tain?” asked Cornwood, as he joihed us in the 
cabin. 

" They intend to hunt and fish a few days ; and 
they want to get at it to-morrow morning,” I re- 
plied. 

" There is not much game about here, I am told. 
I have talked with several of the old guides, and 
they say this part of the country has been hunted 
out,” continued Cornwood. 

"Where shall we go, then?” 

" I find there have been heavy rains down south 
of us, and that the streams are high. We can 
certainly go as far as Lake Harney, and perhaps 
thirty or forty miles farther. That would bring 
us to a country where the sportsmen seldom go ; 
and there you will find plenty of deer, wild tur- 
keys, and ducks. But I want to show you some 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 287 

better fishing than you have seen in Florida, or in 
any other place.” 

" Where shall that be?” I asked, curiously. 

"In the salt water.” 

" In the salt water ! ” I exclaimed. " Certainly 
you can’t get to the salt water in the Wetumpka.” 

"We cannot; but if we can get seven or eight 
miles above Lake Harney, as I think we can, we 
may cross the land to Titusville, on Indian River 
There we can find boats, and do some of the big- 
gest fishing you ever heard of, to say nothing of 
the shooting.” 

" How far is it across the land ? ” I inquired. 

"Not more than nine or ten miles.” 

"We can walk that distance easy enough.” 

" The ladies can’t walk nine miles.” 

" I think we had better go on shore and consult 
Colonel Shepard and Mr. Garningham,” I added ; 
and we started to do so. 

Our passengers, even the ladies, were enthusi- 
astic for the plan. They all wanted to go across 
to the salt water. Before we went on board we 
had engaged four mules and two wagons, which 
were to be taken on board of the steamer the next 
morning. I had every sort of fishing-tackle in 
abundance, and both the colonel and Owen had 


288 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


complete outfits of rods and reels, with a vast 
variety of lines, hooks, squids, sinkers, gaffs, and 
landing-nets. Each of them had two sporting 
pieces, and all the equipments of a hunter. 

Before six in the morning, the mules appeared 
on the wffiarf, drawing the wagons, which were 
nothing but " hay-riggings.” They had stakes and 
rails, so that seats could be put on them. Of 
course the mules made a rov r about going on 
board ; but they went, for all that. We took in 
an abundance of forage and grain for them. We 
did not consider it necessary to take any drivers, 
who would only increase the load for the mules. 
At seven the passengers appeared. The native 
guides and sportsmen said w r e were going off on a 
" wild goose chase ” ; to which Cornwood replied 
that he should catch the goose and bring him back 
to Enterprise. I rather liked his pluck, and de- 
termined to do the best I could to make the enter- 
prise a success. 

We were under way as soon as possible, and 
had no difficulty in getting to Lake Harney, in 
which the water was not more than three feet deep 
in many places. But that, and even less, was 
enough for us, for it gave one foot clear under the 
stems of the twin boats. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 289 

"Now comes the tug of war,” said Cornwood, 
as we entered the river above the lake. "The 
water looks very high to me, but the bottom 
shifts. Will you station a deck-hand on each side 
of the boat to sound, captain ? ” 

I went down to the main deck, and placed Buck 
on one side, and Hop on the other. They were 
provided with poles, marked off in feet. I had 
seen them used by other boats on the Ocklawaha, 
and so had the deck-hands. The poles were ten 
feet long, but they were to report no depths above 
four feet ; for if we had four feet, it made no dif- 
ference how much deeper the water was. 

"No bottom ! ” called both of them, for some 
time; then, "Four feet.” 

" Three feet ! ” shouted Hop, when we had gone 
about two miles. 

Cornwood rang the speed bell, and the boat 
slowed down to five miles an hour. 

" Two feet and a half ! ” cried Buck, the next 
moment. 

The pilot rang the gong, for there was not more 
than six inches of water under the stern. The 
Wetumpka continued to go ahead. The pilot did 
not ring to back the paddle-wheel, and the deck- 

19 


290 


DOWN south; OPw, 


hands both reported two feet and a half, several 
times in succession. 

" A stream comes in there,” said Cornwood 
pointing to the mouth of a creek on the left bank ; 
" that run of water has made a shoal here.” 

" Three feet ! ” called Hop ; and the same call 
was repeated by Buck ; and the pilot rang to go 
ahead at full speed. 

In a short time it was " No bottom ” again ; and 
we went along very nicely for about five miles. 
Here we had to slow down again, and then stop 
her. The deck-hands got down to two feet and a 
half. When Hop said two feet, Cornwood rang 
to back her. This was the draft of the boat aft. 
One of the flat-boats which were stowed away aft, 
and which we had had no occasion to use before, 
was put into the water, and with Buck I went 
ahead, with a sounding-pole in my hand. I fol- 
lowed the two feet depth for about a rod, and 
then came to three feet, and soon after to " no 
bottom.” I shouted to the pilot the result of my 
examination of the stream, and Buck pulled back 
to the steamer. We got on board and made fast 
the painter of the flat-boat, letting it tow astern, 
for we might soon need it again. 

Cornwood ran the Wetumpka back for some 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 291 

distance, and then went ahead at full steam. If 
the boat stuck, he intended to force her over the 
shoal, which was not more than a rod in breadth. 
She went over without even scraping the sand. 
If she had been loaded with freight, she could 
have gone no farther. After going a couple of 
miles more, the pilot ran the boat up to the shore, 
which was almost the only place we had seen for 
miles where the banks of the river were not 
swampy, with the roots of the bushes under 
water. It was a pine forest on the eastern shore, 
with no underbrush. 

"This looks like the right place,” said Corn- 
wood, after he had directed the deck-hands to 
carry the bow fasts ashore and catch a turn around 
the trees. Then he looked about him, as if he was 
trying to identify the place. " I wish I had the 
latitude,” he added. 

"We can give you that, for I have my instru- 
ments in my room. I brought them because I 
was afraid they might be stolen,” I replied. 

I got the instruments, and took an observation 
from the hurricane-deck of the steamer ; and 
Washburn figured it up. " 28° 37' 55",” said the 
mate, when he had completed and verified his cal- 
culation. 


292 


DOWN south; or, 


" That’s it, almost to a hair line,” said Corn- 
wood, laughing. "Parallel section line 21 runs 
through Titusville. We are in east section 33, 
and south section 21. We are all right, and you 
may land your mules.” 

He referred to the land sections of the state, of 
which I had no knowledge. We laid down the 
planks, and got the mules ashore, and then the 
wagons. It was only ten o’clock, and we wished 
to reach our destination by noon. In a few min- 
utes, our hands, under the direction of the pilot, 
succeeded in harnessing the mules to the wagons. 
We put six persons in each, with their bags and 
sporting apparatus. All hands wanted to go with 
us, but we could not take any of them. We had 
the same sand for roads as in the streets of Jack- 
sonville. Corn wood drove one team, and I drove 
the other. Half a mile from the river, we found 
a settler in a log house, who seemed to be greatly 
astonished at our sudden appearance, and insisted 
on knowing how we got there. We told him, and 
in reply he informed us that the woods were full of 
game, and no sportsman had been that way for a year. 

We reached our destination at noon. Titusville 
consisted of only a few houses ; but the party 
were gladly taken in by the settlers. 



An Expedition to Indian River. Page 292. 



















































































* 






















YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


293 


CHAPTER XXIX. 

A MYSTERIOUS SHOT. 

I NDIAN RIVER, Halifax River, Mosquito La- 
goon, and half a dozen rivers, sounds, lagoons, 
lakes, and inlets on the Atlantic coast of Florida, 
are different names for the same shallow body of 
water, separated from the main ocean by a narrow 
strip of sand, which extends north and south for 
two hundred miles. Indian River extends from 
about twenty-five miles north of Titusville to the 
inlet, a distance of one hundred miles. But Banana 
River and Mosquito Inlet are separated from it 
only by Merritt’s Island, so that these bodies of 
water overlap each other. The water in these 
inlets is often not more than three feet deep, so 
that no large vessels can navigate them. 

A few years ago a company was formed, having 
for its purpose the deepening of the upper St. 
Johns as far as Lake Washington, about forty 
miles south of the point where the Wetumpka lay, 
and cutting a canal across to Indian River, not 


294 


DOWN south; or, 


more than eight miles. No progress, however, 
seems to have been made in the enterprise. 

We found three cat-rigged boats at Titusville, 
which we had no difficulty in procuring. The 
ladies would not allow us to leave them at the 
settlement, though Cornwood intimated that we 
might have a rough time of it. Mr. Garbrook, 
Cornwood, and myself served as skippers, and we 
were all thoroughly acquainted with the business. 
The boats were about the size of the Lakebird, in 
which I had voyaged in the roughest weather of 
Lake St. Clair ; and as we had only four persons 
in each ftoat, we were not crowded. I had Colonel 
Shepard, Mr. and Miss Tiffany in the boat with 
me. 

Our first business was to obtain a supply of 
bait, which was easily procured with our landing- 
nets, and consisted of small mullet and other little 
fish, which had to be kept alive. The ladies were 
in excellent spirits, and even Mrs. Shepard, who 
had been an invalid for years, entered fully into 
the spirit of the occasion. When I first met this 
lady in Portland, she was hardly able to move 
without assistance ; but latterly she seemed to 
need n^ aid from any one. She had taken part in 
all ou: frolics and excursions, and her appetite was 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 295 

equal to that of any person in the party. But no 
one could be sick in such a delicious climate as this 
was, for we spent all our time in the open air. 

Our fishing was to be done mainly by trolling, 
and as soon as we had our bait, Colonel Shepard 
had a mullet on one of his approved squids. We 
had a six-knot breeze, and I had to attend to the 
tiller. The bait was hardly in the water before 
the Colonel began to tug at his line. I saw a large 
fish break in the water, a hundred feet from the 
boat, and " cut up ” in the most extraordinary 
manner. The New Yorker labored diligently for 
some time, and I luffed up the boat in order to 
lessen his labors ; but before he got the fish near 
enough to enable us to see what he was, the patent 
gear snapped, and away went the fish. 

I had provided Mr. Tiffany with a line from 
Lake Superior, and he had a fish on before the 
Colonel had finished his labors with the first one. 
This line was strong enough to hold anything in 
the water, and the English gentleman, with my 
assistance, pulled in a redfish, or spotted bass, 
which weighed fourteen pounds. I rigged a line 
for Miss Margie, and she soon brought into the 
boat without help, which she would not allow any 
one to give, a sea-trout, similar to the squeteague 


296 


DOWN SOUTH,* OR, 


or weakfish, but not the same thing. In the othei 
boats they were having the same luck. 

Towards night we began to pull in red snappers 
from six to twelve pounds in weight. They were 
perfect beauties, vermilion on the back, the color 
gradually changing to pink on the belly. The 
Colonel was all worn out with his exertions, and 
he was glad to exchange his line for the tiller of 
the boat, and I took a hand in the exciting sport. 
But we were catching more than we could use, and 
we landed at a settlement called Eau Gallie just 
before dark, where we were glad to pass the night. 

We stayed two days longer in this delightful 
region. Every time we went out fishing we aver- 
aged a hundred weight of fish to each line. We 
sent five hundred weight across to the Wetumpka, 
on board of which we had tons of ice, to be packed 
for future use. The Colonel was sorry to leave 
such magnificent fishing, and Owen declared that 
he would spend all the winters of the rest of his 
life in the southern part of Florida. 

On Thursday morning we harnessed up our 
mule teams, and started across the land for the 
river. At the end of the week we were to finish 
our trip in Florida ; but we were to give two or 
three days to hunting in the vicinity of the point 


TACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


297 


where the steamer lay. On our way back through 
the forest we saw game in abundance. On our 
arrival the mules were picketed in the woods, for 
we did not like the music of their stamping on the 
planks of the forward deck. We reached the boat 
an hour before dinner-time, and Gopher had red 
snapper and spotted bass in a variety of styles for 
the meal. In the afternoon the gentlemen took to 
the woods with their sporting gear, but I remained 
to escort the ladies and protect them from rattle- 
snakes and moccasins, which they seemed to fear 
every time they set foot on shore. But we did 
not see a snake of any kind during the whole time 
we were on the waters of the upper St. Johns. 
At three o’clock I had the mules harnessed to one 
of the wagons, and drove the ladies several miles 
into the forest; they were delighted with the 
excursion. 

On my return, when the ladies had gone up into 
the saloon, I went aft on the main deck to take a 
look at the water. The steamer was moored with 
her head to the shore, so that her stern was out in 
the river. I was afraid, as we had had no rain for 
some days, not even a shower, that the river would 
fall so as to endanger our getting over the shoal, 
two miles below, where we had not had more than 


298 


DOWN south; or, 


an inch to spare in coming up. I measured the 
depth where I had done it every day I had been 
on board since our arrival, and I found it was two 
inches lower. I was rather alarmed, for I did not 
like the idea of spending several weeks in this 
locality, excellent as the hunting was, for I knew 
that the party would soon tire of it. 

-While I stood at the stern thinking of it, I 
heard a noise which I thought came from the 
inside of the paddle-box. I listened for some time 
but did not hear it again, and I concluded that a 
young alligator, or some other water animal, had 
crawled into the opening. 

I started to return to the stairs which led from 
the main deck forward to the space in front of the 
saloon. I was passing between two piles of light- 
wood on my way, when I heard the report of a 
pistol. A bullet whistled uncomfortably near my 
head. I don’t claim to be bullet-proof, and I was 
startled by the sound, and by the whizzing of the 
ball so near my head. I made up my mind on the 
instant that the shot was intended for me, and that 
my life was in actual danger. Buck and Hop were 
attending to the mules on shore, and I saw no one 
on the lower deck. 

Moses Brickland and Ben Bowman were in theil 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 299 

rooms, and I called them. I told them what had 
happened. They had heard the shot; but some 
one was shooting about all the time in the vicinity 
of the boat, and they paid no attention to such 
sounds. We searched every part of the lower 
deck, even opening the trap into the paddle-box, 
made to allow a workman to get in when repairs 
were necessary. We could find no person. 

"I believe this steamer is haunted, and I 
wouldn’t sail in her another month if you would 
give her to me,” said Ben, who was not a highly- 
educated person, though he knew a steam-engine 
as well as though he had been through college. 
* I have heard all sorts of noises by night and by 
day.” 

"What sort of noises, Ben?” I asked with 
interest, not that I was impressed with the idea 
that the Wetumpka was haunted. 

"Well, footsteps where no person could be 
found,” replied the engineer. " Now, you say you 
have been fired at, and no one on board could have 
done it.” 

" I don’t believe ghosts use fire-arms, Ben,” I 
added, as I saw Com wood come on the forward 
deck. 

He had been hunting with the sportsmen, to 


300 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


assist them with his knowledge of the game of the 
country. The moment he saw us he hastened aft, 
and asked me what the matter was. As we had 
not exhibited to him the evidences that anything 
was the matter, I was rather surprised at the 
question. 

" Nothing is the matter, except that a shot was 
fired at me a little while ago,” I replied, as though 
it were a matter of not much consequence. 

"I think you are mistaken,” he replied very 
promptly. 

" How could I be mistaken when the ball whistled 
by my head?” I demanded. 

" It might not have been within ten feet of your 
head, though it sounded as though it were within 
a few inches. I shot a wild turkey as I came up, 
and I fired in the direction of the steamer. It oc- 
curred to me that the ball might have gone through 
her, and I confess that I was very careless,” re- 
plied Comwood. 

" I think you were, extremely careless,” I added 
coldly. 

"But I am sure the ball could not have gone 
within ten feet of you, or I should have seen you,” 
protested the guide. 

"Where is the turkey you shot?” asked Ben, 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 301 

w\ appeared to have some doubts in regard to 
the truth of the story. 

" I threw him down on the forecastle as I came 
on board,” answered Corn wood. 

We walked to that part of the steamer, and 
there lay the wild turkey, as handsome a bird as I 
had ever seen. This evidence satisfied me, for as 
the Floridian had never failed to do anything he 
promised, or disappointed the party in regard to 
fish and game, he was in high favor with all on 
board, at least with those in the cabin. 

"Colonel Shepard and Mr. Garningham have 
shot no end of deer and wild turkey, and they 
have stacked the game about two miles from the 
landing,” continued the guide. " They have more 
than we could bring, and I volunteered to come 
up for a mule team.” 

" Buck and Hop are taking care of the pair we 
used this afternoon ; you can take the others,” I 
replied. 

Corn wood went on shore, and in a short time I 
saw him drive down the shore into the woods. 

" Do you believe that story about the wild tur- 
key ?” asked Ben, when Cornwood had gone ashore. 

"I see no reason to disbelieve it-,” I replied, 
looking with interest at the engineer- 


m 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


"Do you? Well, I don’t; and I didn’t believe 
it when he told it,” replied Ben, as he pointed 
with his jack-knife at a place in the wild turkey 
which he had partly dissected. "Do you see 
that?” 

"I do not see anything but blood and meat,” I 
answered. 

" You don’t ! Well, there is the ball that whis- 
tled within ten feet of your head when you were 
walking on the main deck.” 

Ben Bowman applied his knife-blade to the 
turkey, and pried out the bullet, which had lodged 
against the breastbone. 

I took it in my hand. If his story was true, 
this was not the ball that passed near my head. 
We made another search for the man who had 
fired at me, but we looked in vain. 


TACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 303 


CHAPTER XXX. 

SHOOTING IN THE FOREST AND BEING SHOT. 

B EFORE supper-time, the mule team came in 
with a load of game. Washburn had gone 
out with the sportsmen this time, for during my 
absence he would not leave the steamer for a mo- 
ment. I counted seventeen deer, the smallest 
kind I had ever seen, and twenty-one wild tur- 
keys. The next day the sport was resumed, and 
I joined the party. At the suggestion of Colonel 
Shepard, we took a couple of landing-nets, though 
what for I could not imagine. But we had not 
gone half a mile before I discovered the use of 
them. 

The woods were full of young quails, which in 
the South are called partridges, the latter taking 
the name of pheasants. These quails ran in flocks 
of a dozen or less, and with the landing-nets we 
could cover the whole brood. We gathered them 
up, and put them into a large basket, with a 
cover, which we had brought with us for the pur- 
pose. 


304 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


We went several miles farther south than the 
party of the day before had gone ; and the shoot- 
ing was so abundant as to be " rather too much of 
a good thing.” Before noon w r e had all we wanted, 
and it seemed to be wicked to shoot any more. 
The sportsmen from Enterprise had not been up 
as far as this, and the game had hardly ever been 
disturbed in its haunts. 

I was tired of the sport before the others, and I 
started back for the mule team about eleven. I 
was within tw T o miles of the landing, as I judged, 
for we had to estimate all our distances, when I 
heard the crack of a revolver or a rifle. At the 
same instant I felt a burning sensation in the back 
of the neck. I placed my hand upon the place, 
and found that a ball had just grazed it. My 
hand was covered with blood when I removed it. 

I expected another shot would follow immedi- 
ately, and I raised my gun, which was loaded with 
ball, and looked about me. I deemed it prudent 
to dodge behind a magnolia, of wdiich there was 
an occasional one in the forest. I could judge 
from the situation of the wound on my neck from 
what direction the ball had come. My getting 
behind the tree had deranged the calculations of 
the intended assassin. He stood at a distance of 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


305 


not more than sixty feet from me, pointing a rifle 
towards me. 

It was Griffin Leeds. 

Though I could have shot him, I preferred to 
be killed rather than to kill. But before I could 
do anything, or even consider what to do, another 
actor appeared on the stage. I saw Griffin Leeds 
look behind him once, as though he feared an in- 
terruption, and doubtless he heard the step of the 
third person. Until the stranger was close upon 
the octoroon, I had not seen him. In the soft 
sand that formed the soil of the forest, one could 
hardly hear the sounds of approaching footsteps. 

The stranger stepped from behind a large pine- 
tree, and before I had recovered from my surprise 
at his appearance, he fell upon Griffin Leeds, han- 
dling him with an ease that astonished me. He 
flung him on the ground like an unclean bird, and 
then pointed his own rifle at his head. 

It was entirely safe for me under these circum- 
stances to leave my hiding-place, and I walked 
towards the scene of the last encounter. I kept 
my gun in position for use, though I was not at 
all inclined to fire upon a human being. I won- 
dered who had thus interfered to save me from 
the bullet of Griffin Leeds. Then I wondered 
20 


306 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


how Griffin Leeds happened to be in the woods, 
miles above the head of ordinary navigation. I 
thought of my wound, and placed my hand upon 
it. It was beginning to feel very sore, and the 
blood was still flowing very freely from it. I 
bound my handkerchief around my neck, but I 
found it difficult to cover the place. 

I had been shot at the day before. Was it not 
probable that the same person had fired both 
shots? Then I thought of the noise I had heard 
while I was measuring the depth of the river. 
There was some hiding-place in the after part of 
the Wetumpka which we had not yet discovered. 
In that place Griffin Leeds had been concealed, 
perhaps from the time we left Welaka, on our 
trip up the Ocklawaha. This seemed to me to be 
a satisfactory solution of this part of the mystery. 
I was so well satisfied that I did not care to hear 
any evidence on the subject. I could not have 
understood it any better if all the details had been 
given to me under oath. 

But it was plain enough to me that Griffin 
Leeds could not have existed in his hiding-place 
for nearly two weeks, or even one, without the 
connivance of some person on board. Of course 
that person was Cornwood. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 307 

Who was the stranger that interfered to save 
me ? I concluded he was some hunter, who had 
taken a hand in the affair simply from the love of 
fair play. I walked towards him, and soon came 
near enough to note his appearance. He wore a 
long beard, and was dressed in a common travel- 
ling suit. 

" Get up, you villain ! ” said the stranger, as I 
approached. 

Griffin Leeds did not wait for a second com- 
mand, but sprang to his feet. He looked at me, 
and he saw that I had a gun in my hand. I aimed 
at him. 

" Take your hand from your pocket ! ” I called 
to him. 

He did so ; but the stranger sprang upon him 
again. Putting his hand into the side-pocket of 
his sack-coat, he drew from it a small revolver. 
Not satisfied with this, he continued the search, 
and took from another pocket a knife like that the 
wretch had attempted to use on board of the Syl- 
vania. He was then satisfied that the fellow was 
entirely disarmed. 

" I am exceedingly obliged to you for the ser- 
vice you have rendered me,” I began. " This is 
not the first trouble I have had with this — ” 


308 


DOWN south; or, 


" Never mind that, my dear Alick,” interposed 
my deliverer. 

Before I had an opportunity to look at him 
again, he had folded me in his arms as though I 
were a little girl, instead of a strapping big boy, 
weighing one hundred and fifty. I had no need 
to conjecture any longer who my deliverer was. 
It was my father. 

The tears rolled down his cheeks, as they did 
down mine when I saw them. But he was hardly 
changed since I last saw him. I was so happy at 
this reunion that I forgot everything else. I dare 
say we both indulged in exclamations. While we 
were using them, Griffin Leeds began to move off. 
I pointed my gun at him. 

" Go to that magnolia, and stand on this side of 
it : and if you attempt to run away, I will shoot 
you ! ” I added ; but I don’t think I meant half 
of it. 

The octoroon doggedly obeyed. I looked at 
my father, whom I had supposed to be dead for 
months of the period that had separated us. He 
had been to England and to India since we parted. 
I had roamed thousands of miles, believing all the 
time that I was earning my daily bread. 

" W r e meet at last ! ” exclaimed my father. " I 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 309 

find you in deadly peril, and come at the moment 
when I may save you ! ” 

" I was shot at before to-day ; and I am afraid I 
have a traitor on either hand wherever I go ; ” and 
I explained in as few words as possible about Corn- 
wood and Griffin Leeds, expressing my belief that 
the pilot was the agent of Captain Boomsby. 

" That old villain still believes I am dead,” re- 
plied my father. " I went into his saloon in Jack- 
sonville, but he did not know me. I talked 
about you ; and he said you had a steamer that 
belonged to him, and he should have possession 
of her in a couple of weeks. He insisted that he 
was your guardian. I did not undeceive him.” 

" We had better walk back to the steamer, 
father,” — how dear the name sounded to met 
" What shall we do with that fellow ? ” I pointed 
at Griffin Leeds. 

"Let him march ahead of us.” 

We started Griffin Leeds, and followed him 
back to the river. On the way I told my father 
all that happened since I came to Florida in 
March, including my suspicions in regard to Corn- 
wood, and the evidence I had against him. 

" Don’t think any more about him, or the wretch 
ahead of us. I shall take command of this expe-* 


310 


down south; or, 


dition from this time ; and you know I have been 
a major in the English army,” said my father, 
smiling. 

"Why didn’t you write to me, father? It is a 
long time since I heard a word from you,” I asked. 

" I did not write to you in January because you 
were away, and could not get my letters. I did 
not write to you in February, because I expected 
to see you before any letter could reach you. I 
expected to be in Jacksonville the last of Febru- 
ary ; but when I was half-way to New York the 
steamer broke her shaft, and had to return under 
sail. It was the 8th of March when I sailed the 
second time from Liverpool. When I got to 
Jacksonville, I heard that you had gone on a trip 
up the river. I followed to Pilatka, and was told 
that you had gone up the Ocklawaha. I took the 
next boat for that river, but seeing the Sylvania at 
Welaka, I made further inquiries, and learned 
that you had gone up the St. Johns. I followed 
you till I found your steamer. I saw no one on 
board that I knew, but a man told me you were 
in the woods hunting, and had gone south of the 
landing. 

" I started to find you ; and went along till I 
came to that fellow skulking through the woods. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 311 

I supposed he was going to join your party, and 1 
followed him. I heard the crack of rifles in the 
distance, about the time I first saw that villain. I 
concluded it was the firing of the hunters. Sud- 
denly this man raised his rifle and fired. I had 
not seen you before. You know what happened 
then. I have only to say, Alick, that I shall not 
let you out of my sight again.” 

" I hope you won’t, father.” 

I sent Hop Tossford with the mules, or I did 
not care to leave my father again. We went on 
board of the Wetumpka. I called out Moses, 
and Ben, who knew my father. They were glad 
to see him for my sake, if not for their own. 
Buck tied Griffin Leeds to a stanchion on the 
steamer, for we had driven him on board ahead of 
us. I was more curious than ever to know where 
the " ghost” that haunted the lower deck of the 
Wetumpka had been concealed. 

"Where did you hide on board, Griffin?” I 
asked. 

" I don’t answer any questions,” he replied, in 
a surly tone. 

"All right,” I replied, and taking Ben with me, 
I went aft. 

The paddle-box extended almost the whole 


312 


DOWN SOUTH ; OR, 


width of the boat ; and under a pile of rubbish, 
which had evidently been placed there to conceal 
it, was a scuttle, leading into the hold of the port 
twin boat. Raising this, we found a mattress 
from one of the berths, a blanket, and some 
dishes. We had not thought of the holds of the 
twin boats before, for there were two openings 
near the great gangway into them. We had 
thrown lightwood down into them, and filled them 
up. We had not therefore supposed it possible 
for any one to get into these holds. Here Griffin 
Leeds had lived, and Cornwood had carried him 
his meals. 

"I think that is the best place for him,” said 
my father, after he had looked into the port hold. 
" Send him back again, and set a watch over the 
man Cornwood.” 

We went up into the saloon after this had been 
done, and Miss Margie was delighted to see my 
father. He was introduced to the other ladies as 
Sir Bent Garningham. About one o’clock, the 
hunters came in with a bigger load of game than 
on the day before. They were just in time to 
escape a tremendous thunder-shower, for the rain 
began to fall in torrents about the time they en- 
tered the cabin. Owen was rather embarrassed 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


313 


when he saw my father, who however extended to 
him a cordial greeting. Nothing was said about 
the occurrences of the past. 

Our dinner that day was composed entirely of 
the fish and game procured by our sportsmen. 
We had venison in various dishes, and roast tur- 
key of the finest quality. While we were eating, 
the rain beat down in sheets upon the deck over 
our heads. The lightning was terrific, and we 
heard it strike several times in the forest. For 
two hours it poured, and then the sun came out, 
and brightened up the dripping scene. 

”1 found this rifle in the woods,” said Wash- 
burn, taking the piece from his state-room, where 
he had put it when he came in. 

" That was the one with which Griffin Leeds 
fired at me,” I replied. "I forgot all about it, 
and left it on the ground. Whose is it?” 

He showed it to several, and at last to Corn- 
wood. He hesitated ; but finally said it was his, 
and he had left it in the woods when the team 
came. Inquiry proved that he had taken no rifle 
with him. He had no doubt lent it to Griffin 
Leeds. 

We were to have stayed at this landing one day 
longer, tmt when I told Owen and Colonel She^v 


314 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


ard that the river had fallen two inches in the 
morning, they decided that it would not be safe to 
remain any longer. The shower must have raised 
the river a little ; and if we went at once, we 
might get over. I ordered the mules to be taken 
on board ; and as soon as they and the wagons 
were shipped, I intimated to Corn wood that we 
were ready to resume our trip. To my astonish- 
ment he protested against going, and declared 
there would be no difficulty about the water. We 
had no idea, he insisted, of the game in the 
woods. 

" Cast off the fasts ! ” I shouted to the deck-- 
hands, from my place on the saloon deck. 

Cornwood looked in the direction of the woods, 
and seemed to be greatly troubled. He evidently 
thought his agent was still in the woods, and I 
was not disposed to undeceive him. The deck- 
hands hauled the fasts on board, and the boat be- 
gan to drift down the river. Very reluctantly 
the pilot went to the wheel, and after some ma- 
noeuvring got the Wetumpka headed down the 
river. He still kept one eye on the shore. 

My father had dressed my wound as soon as we 
got on board. It was not much more than a 
scratch, though it made my neck so stiff for a 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 315 

couple of days that I could hardly turn it. I had 
it bound up, and just as the boat was approaching 
the shoal place, Cornwood asked me what ailed 
my neck. It was clear enough that he did not 
know what had transpired in the woods. 

" In accordance with the plan you arranged with 
Captain Boomsby before you came on board of 
the Sylvania, I have been shot,” I replied. " The 
ball, instead of going through my head, only grazed 
my neck. Your man is a very bad shot.” 

" My man ! Who is my man ? ” demanded Corn- 
wood. But I saw that he was pale under the 
charge. 

" Griffin Leeds, of course,” I answered. " But 
you have managed it very clumsily, from the moc- 
casin down to the shooting. You ought to have 
employed a man that could hit the side of a house 
at sixty feet.” 

" I don’t understand you,” gasped he. 

"Yes, you do. But the game is up. The 
gentleman who came to-day is my father, and 
Captain Boomsby will give up the chase as soon 
as he sees and knows him.” 

" I am sure I don’t know what you are talking 
about.” 

"Then we won’t talk any more,” I added, re- 


316 


DOWN SOUTH; OR, 


tiring from the pilot-house after the boat had 
passed over the doubtful shoal, which the rain had 
rendered harmless. 

At seven in the evening we reached Enterprise, 
where we remained overnight. At daylight the 
next morning, before any of our passengers were 
stirring, we started down the river again. At two 
in the afternoon we were alongside the Syl vania. 
We merely put Washburn, Ben Bowman, Landy 
Perkins, and Hop Tossford on board of her, to 
run her down to Jacksonville, and kept on our 
way. But it was midnight when we made the 
wharf of the company that owned the Wetumpka. 
Except those in charge of the steamer, all were 
asleep. About daylight, the Sylvania anchored in 
the berth she had occupied before. 

Our fish and game which had been kept in the 
extra ice-house were in excellent condition. I sent 
my share to the Carlton Hotel, whose proprietors 
had been polite to me. I had handed Griffin 
Leeds over to the police on our arrival. On 
Monday morning we were all back again on board 
of the Sylvania, and were glad enough of the 
change into her. But we had had a magnificent 
time up the river; all hands were satisfied, and 
ready for another cruise. 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 


317 


Monday was the first day of April, and Owen 
came on board to settle his accounts. He insisted 
upon paying me seven hundred dollars for the 
month; but my father resented the proposition. 
He allowed me to take the amount I had received 
the month before, and no more. 

" Owen, you have behaved very badly,” said my 
father seriously. 

" I know I have, uncle ; but I have repented it, 
and I hope you will forgive me,” replied Owen. 
* The nobleness of Alick conquered me, and I am 
a better fellow than I ever was before in my life.” 

" I have heard what Alick has to say about it ; 
and so far as the past is concerned, I freely forgive 
you for his sake,” added my father. 

" I was led away by Mr. Carrington,” pleaded 
Owen. 

"No man has any right to be led away by an- 
other. It is the devil in his own heart that leads 
him away, and not another man. Owen, you 
made a contract with my son when he thought he 
had nothing in the world but this steamer.” 

" I did ; and I have paid all I agreed to pay.” 

"And been extremely liberal, father,” I added. 

" I find no fault ; but I annul the contract,” said 
my father. " My son shall be in no one’s employ, 
not even in yours, Owen.” 


318 


down south; or, 


" I should be glad to continue the arrangement 
to the end of the year,” replied Owen. 

" No ; Alick can go where he pleases with his 
yacht from this day. He may invite whom h .« 
pleases to go with him. But he shall be undei 
nobody’s authority but mine.” 

I was as much astonished at the decision of mj 
father as Owen could be ; but I said nothing, anc 
my cousin soon went on shore, for he was staying 
at the house of Colonel Shepard. We had landed 
the Garbrooks at Green Cove Springs, where their 
yacht was waiting for them. 

On Tuesday came the trial of Griffin Leeds. 
Corn wood’s defence was weak, and he seemed to 
have no pluck. His client was convicted of assault 
with a dangerous weapon, and sentenced to five 
years ; and I suppose he is now serving in some 
convict gang. Chloe found a permanent place 
with the Shepards. Cornwood left for St. Augus- 
tine as soon as the trial of Griffin Leeds was 
finished. My father and I called at the saloon of 
Captain Boomsby, merely to satisfy him that I 
was not an orphan, and that it would be useless 
for him to enter into any more conspiracies. I 
paid Cornwood one hundred and fifty dollars ; and 
I don’t know what the captain paid him, but I 


YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 3 IS 

think nothing. If he had obtained possession of 
the Syl vania, he might have collected a heavv fee. 
As a pilot and guide he was a greater success than 
as a lawyer. 

My story is told, so far as Florida is concerned, 
for the present, though I did not believe I should 
be able to pass Indian River Inlet without running 
in and catching a few of those redfish. With my 
newly-acquired liberty I was considering where to 
go next, and whom to invite to go with me. My 
father spent much of his time with the Hon. Mr. 
Tiffany, at the Carlton, where I was glad to meet 
Miss Margie as often, at least, as once a day. 

The future was still an open question, though ] 
Jiked my cousin Owen so well that I did not wish 
to think of parting with him. I was certainly in- 
debted to him for the pleasure of being "Down 
South” during the winter, and the magnificent 
time I had enjoyed during our " Yacht Adventures 
in Florida.” 



















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